Sei mia
by XxxAnimaniacxxX
Summary: 'Darkness needs the light. And every game has a prize.' Based on the Forbidden Game! Kames, Cargan, Camille/Jo, Stephanie/Guitar Dude. Angst angst angst!
1. Chapter 1

**This is based on the Forbidden Games series! All the pairings are slash except for one, but ah well! Enjoy!**

James, Logan, Carlos and Kendall were bored. It was pouring rain outside and there was nothing to do.

"Jaaaaames, I'm boooorrreeed!" Carlos whined, throwing a rubber hammer at James's face.

James yelped when it hit him, scowling at Carlos. "Where did you get this?"

"I stole it from Lightning," he replied, bouncing up and down on the couch. Kendall rolled his eyes and got up. "There's got to be something to do in here!"

Logan looked up from the book he was reading. "I can go out and buy a game or something."

"A board game?" James asked, raising his eyebrows. "We're not _that_ bored, Logan." He paused, realising what he'd just said. "No pun intended."

"It'll be fun! We can invite our friends over!"

"Fine," Kendall muttered, pulling out his phone. "I'll call Jo and Guitar Dude."

"And I'll call Stephanie and Camille!" Carlos yelled, jumping up and running to his room.

Logan git up to leave, and James just decided to go with him. They left the apartment and went to the car. Logan started the engine and drove out of the parking lot. "What kind of game did you have in mind?" James asked.

"Something different, that we can all do together. Something that's fun enough for Carlos, and dangerous enough for Stephanie and interesting enough for Camille."

"Any idea where we can find a game like that?" James asked sceptically as they drove down the street.

"Not a clue," Logan replied with a grin. They were driving down a street with not many cars on it. It looked like a bad place to abandon your car. Then Logan stopped. "What about there?"

James looked. It was a dirty shop with a window tinted so dark he couldn't see through it. Above the door was a long sign that said More Games. He looked up at it. Something about it scared him a little. But that was stupid. "Ok. Do you have money? I'll go in; you watch the car."

Logan handed him a twenty and sat back. "I expect change, by the way."

James just rolled his eyes and got out of the car, walking into the shop. It was dark and spooky inside. There were tons of weird games on display; there was a triangular chessboard with little gold statues of goats and tigers. And there was a long game board that had a couple of crystals standing on it. What a weird place. There was a teenage boy standing behind the counter. He was tall, with black hair hair and piercing blue eyes. He smiled at James. "Can I help you?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm looking for a game that . . . a lot of people can play at once," he replied slowly, still unable to take his eyes off all the strange displays. The boy nodded. "I see. You want something exciting. With danger." He smiled. "Danger, fear, seduction, temptation. Secrets revealed, desires unveiled."

"Uh, yeah, sure." James was now confident that this guy had some problems. The boy reached behind the counter and took out a blank, shiny white box. "I recommend this. It's only ten dollars, and it's definitely something you'll remember."

"Okaaayyy," James said slowly. "I'll take that." He paid for it and tried to leave the shop without running. He practically leaped headfirst back into the car. He handed Logan the remaining ten dollars. "Let's get back to the Palmwoods." They drove back, and dashed up to 2J. Everyone else was already there, chatting on the couch. They all looked up when Logan and James walked in. "Hey!" Camille greeted. "Is that the game you were going to get?"

"Yeah, but it might be a little boring—"

"I think it'll be fun!" Carlos said cheerfully, hopping up and taking the box. "To the coffee table, away!"

They all crowded around the table, some sitting on cushions, others making do with the floor. Carlos opened the box, taking out a folded up game board and a think pile of cards. Logan spread the board out on the table, placing the pile of cards next to it. "This game looks fun, actually," he said, reading the instructions at the back of the box. "We're going through a haunted house and stuff."

"Nice," Camille replied, going through the remaining contents of the box. "There's a bunch of paper dolls here. Eight of them. And some more blank cards."

"The paper dolls are us. We draw our faces on them and we draw our worst nightmares on the cards. Then you put them in random places on the board. Seven of us start at one end of the board and the eighth player starts at the end. They're the prisoner and you have to save them from the Shadow man." He looked up at everyone. "Who wants to be the prisoner?"

There was a silence for a second, and then Kendall smiled. "I'll do it. It'll be fun." He stood up. "And I'll go get Katie's colouring pencils." He went into Katie's room.

"What else is there?" Jo asked, turning to Camille, who took out another three paper figures. "There's just the Shadow man and his followers. They're a wolf and a snake." James's eyes widened as he looked at the paper figure. It looked a lot like the guy who he'd bought the game from. But it couldn't be . . . could it? Suddenly he had a bad case of the shivers.

"The cards tell us when we meet any of them," Logan continued to read the instructions as Kendall came and sat back down. "Now the eight of us are taking turns to pick a card. But first we have to draw the nightmares and stuff."

Camille handed everyone a paper doll and a card. James scribbled down a quick sketch of his face on the doll and moved onto the card. This was where he was stuck. His worst nightmare . . .

He looked around at his friends. Guitar Dude was smiling, drawing something with a lot of red. "Where's the black pencil?" Logan asked. "I need it."

"Here," Kendall replied, handing it to him. Carlos was drawing something with a lot of green, giggling to himself. James looked back at his card. He went through all the secrets he kept from a lot of people. Maybe it was there somewhere.

He was scared of spiders. The other three guys knew that; they were always getting rid of them for him. They definitely weren't his worst nightmare.

He didn't like cats. That was no secret; he just didn't like the way they rubbed against people's legs. That wasn't a nightmare,

He was in love with his best friend. Hmm. Nobody knew that, but he didn't think them finding out was his worst nightmare. Maybe being rejected by him was . . . seeing his gorgeous green eyes filled with anger as he screamed at James to get the hell away from him. He didn't think Kendall would react like that, but maybe . . .

Then James remembered when they were fourteen. Kendall's dad had been around then. He sucked, to put it simply. He treated Kendall like crap; he always had. Not just verbally. Physically too. Mrs Knight, who'd never realised because of her evening shift in the local diner, finally discovered it was happening after three years of being oblivious and had kicked him out on the spot. Kendall had been badly hurt that night, worse than any night before. His lip was split and one of his ribs had been cracked. He'd been bleeding everywhere and bruises had covered his body and face. And he wouldn't stop screaming when anyone tried to touch him, to comfort him. James had been so scared that he'd lose him.

"James? You ready yet?" James looked up. His friends were watching him impatiently. "Yeah, one second." He quickly grabbed a couple of pencils and drew a quick picture of Kendall. It didn't do him justice at all, but it would have to do. He'd just have to explain about that incident when they asked, and hopefully they wouldn't try to dig any deeper. He gave the card to Logan, who shuffled them and put them in random spots on the board. "There's one more thing. We have to swear that we understand this game might endanger our lives and that we're playing at our own risk."

"I swear," Stephanie smiled, and Carlos nodded in agreement. "I swear," Guitar Dude added breezily. "Me too," Jo added. "Me three," Camille continued. "I swear," Logan and Kendall said at the same time. James looked at all of them, swallowing the nerves. "I swear," he said with a grin.

"Who's picking the first card?" Stephanie asked cheerfully from her place beside Carlos.

There was a pause. "I will," James said, picking one up and turning it over. "You and your friends have all sat down to begin the game." He put it down, laughing a little. It was just a bit of fun . . . right? "Who's next?"

"Me," Guitar Dude said, picking it up. "Hmm . . . each of you has secrets you'd rather die than reveal." James squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. That was kind of spooky . . .

Stephanie grabbed the next card. "Get ready for your secrets to be revealed. "She giggled. "This is fun!" Something about that line on the card was familiar to James. Hmm . . .

"I'm next!" Jo picked up the next card. "You try to open the door, but it's stuck. It won't open." She looked around at her friends, then shrugged and stood up, going to the door and pulling at the handle. A frown appeared on her face. "Logan, did you lock the door when you came in here?"

"No," he replied nervously. "Is it stuck?"

Jo nodded slowly. "There must be something caught under it . . . go on, pick another card."

Carlos, not scared at all, took one and read it aloud. "None of the exits will work." He frowned. "Should we go try the window?"

"No!" James protested. Maybe if they didn't try to open anything, the card wouldn't come true. He was really getting freaked out here.

"I'll take another card," Kendall said slowly, taking one and turning it over. "You hear a noise in the other room and go to see what it is." He looked around, sighing with relief when they didn't hear anything. Then they heard a thump coming from Kendall and Logan's room. Jo shrieked, hiding behind Guitar Dude. "This is really freaking me out!"

Kendall swallowed, before getting to his feet. "It's just a game, it's not real . . ." James could hear him muttering to himself as he went into the other room. Logan looked at the pile of cards on the table. "Is there anything there?" Logan called.

"No. The window wasn't closed properly; you know it makes noises like this."

"Should I take another one?" Logan asked the others. Without waiting for an answer, he picked one up with slightly shaky hands. His eyes widened as he read it. "Oh my God."

"What does it say?" Stephanie demanded, grabbing it and reading it. She dropped it on the floor with shock. "No, it's not true . . . it can't . . ."

James grabbed it and read it aloud, his voice cracking at the last word. "Kendall Knight is gone . . ."

Logan leaped to his feet and ran to the bedroom. "Guys, there's blood all over the floor . . . oh no . . ."

James was scared to look. What the hell was happening? He turned back to the game on the table and saw Camille picking up another card. "Camille, no!"

"You hear a clock strike nine," she said quietly, putting the card down.

"We don't have any clocks that strike!" Logan ran back to the others. "Do we?"

James was about to reply when he heard a long chime. "Shit . . ."

_**Two chimes. Three. Four.**_

Jo was clinging to Guitar Dude, struggling not to cry. Carlos and Logan were shaking violently. Stephanie looked scared, but alert. Camille was staring blankly ahead, like a zombie.

_**Five. Six Seven.**_

"This can't be happening," Logan whispered.

**_Eight._**

James squeezed his eyes shut and waited.

The unseen clock chimed one more time, and everything started spinning.

* * *

James woke up on the floor. His entire body hurt. It felt weird to wake up after fainting. He fainted once before; he was thirteen and he'd had the flu. He'd leaped out of bed to use the bathroom and woken up with his face in the rug. He sat up slowly, looking at his surroundings. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw he was still in apartment 2J. He saw that the game had vanished from the table.

Then he realised everyone else was unconscious too. Carlos was curled up on the floor, Stephanie spread out next to him. Jo's hair was spread out on the floor underneath her. Guitar Dude was lying on his side, his head on the coffee table. Logan was lying against the wall, with Camille sprawled at his feet. Kendall was still missing.

James crawled over to Jo, who he was closest to. He gently shook her awake. "Jo, are you ok?"

Jo opened her eyes slowly, frowning a little. "My head hurts, but that's it. What happened?"

James shrugged. "I don't know." He noticed that everyone else was waking up. Guitar Dude was slowly getting to his feet. Stephanie pulled Carlos up by the arm, and Logan lifted Camille to her feet. James and Jo got up too. "Any idea what the heck happened?" Logan asked. Everyone shook their heads except Camille, who still just looked blank. James looked around the apartment, suddenly realising that the door to the bathroom had disappeared. He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he ran to the window and pulled open the curtains. His jaw dropped open. He couldn't see the pool like he usually could; he couldn't see anything except blackness. And lightning flashing through the dark. Then he was sure he saw a bright pair of eyes staring out at him. He shut the curtains quickly, stepping away from the window. "What's wrong?" Carlos asked, going to the window. He looked through the curtains with wide eyes. "Oh my God, where the hell are we?"

"You've begun the game." Everyone turned to look at the door of 2J. There was a guy there, with jet black hair and piercing blue eyes. He was the man on the paper doll. And the guy from the shop.

"You agreed to play, and now there's no way out."

Carlos glared at him. "I don't know who the hell you are, but you'd better give us an explanation—"

His angry yell cut short, and James turned around to see why. He almost screamed around, because Carlos was gone. And Stephanie, and Camille, Logan, Guitar Dude and Jo were all gone too. He spun around to look back at the man. "Where are they?"

"They're scattered around the hotel, waiting for you. You'll find them and get through their nightmares as you go through the game."

"What did you do to Kendall?" James demanded, deciding he really didn't like this guy. "And who are you, anyway?"

The guy laughed. "Kendall's the prisoner, silly. You don't remember? He's at the end of the game, getting my special attention. You'll get to him last. If you get there. Beside him there's the door out of here. If you and your friends get there, you'll see it open." He smiled widely. "And you can call me Daniel."

James grunted angrily in reply, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. When he looked back to the spot where Daniel had been standing, he was gone. He started muttering angrily to himself as he yanked the door of 2J open. Honestly, he was too annoyed to be scared. He stopped when he saw that it didn't look like the normal Palmwoods hallway. The hallway was dark, lit by candles in the walls, and it was so long he couldn't see the end hall in either direction. He debated for a second, before turning and walking to the left.

**Like? Hate? Let me know!**


	2. Chapter 2

The hallway went on forever. James wandered along for God knows how long, when he spotted a door. He stopped in front of it. Go in or keep walking? Since he hadn't found any other way out of the stupid hallway, he pushed the door open and walked in. It was a large room, with a lamp hanging from the ceiling, so that only the centre of the room was lit. He heard the door shut behind him, spinning around to see that it had vanished. He growled to himself, turning around again. He jumped about a foot in the air. Daniel was standing in the patch of light.

"Hello, James."

"Meh."

Daniel smirked. "Have you ever heard the story of Persephone and Hades?"

"No," James replied slowly, not sure where this was going.

"Hades was the Greek God of the Underworld. He lived in the shadows, and he was lonely. One day Persephone was out with her friends, picking flowers. Hades saw how beautiful she was and fell in love on the spot. He knew she wouldn't come with him willingly, so he raced up to her on his chariot and took her to the Underworld to become his wife."

"It's just an old story—"

"Are you sure? Anyway, there's another old Romanian story used to scare kids into staying away from strangers. There was an evil witch who met a little boy at the market. He was smiling and laughing, and she knew she loved him. She didn't get any older, so she waited for him to grow up. Then one morning the boy's parents' woke up and their son wasn't in his bed. The witch had taken him away."

James shuddered, despite the fact that he still hated this guy. "That's horrible. If she loved him why would she do that?"

Daniel smiled widely. "Well, that's the thing. I could do what the witch did. Or I could be like Hades, but I'm giving you a chance. You can all get away safely."

"Hold on! You're saying that this whole game is because you're in love with one of us?" James scoffed.

"I'm the darkness, James. The darkness needs the light. And every game has a prize. Winner takes all. And I can safely say that it's not you I want."

"Fine. Bring it on!"

"Now, I doubt very highly you'll win this game, so to give you a head start, I'll give you one friend back for free, no nightmare attached."

"Which one of us do you want if it's not me?"

"That would be telling. But I'll say this." He smiled before stepping into the darkness. "I'm your worst nightmare. You'll see when this is over." Then he was gone.

James folded his arms with a scowl. Where was this free friend he was supposed to get back? Then someone else appeared in the patch of light. A skinny girl with brown hair pulled back from her face. "Stephanie!"

Stephanie looked at James in shock. Then she grinned. "Hi. I take it this is a good thing?"

"Daniel's given us a head start. So yeah, it's good."

"Who's Daniel?"

James briefly explained what the game was and how they could win. When he finished, Stephanie had a wild smile on her face. "We're so gonna kick this guy's ass!"

"Except I don't know what to do now," James replied. "I came in here through a door but it disappeared."

"You mean the door behind you?" Stephanie asked, tilting her head thoughtfully. James spun around. "Yeah, that door . . . what's hanging on it?" He pulled the little square card off the door. It showed a picture of a house. There were lines drawn on the empty space beside it to show it was shaking. "That's mine," Stephanie muttered, taking it and putting it in her pocket. "My nightmare, I mean."

"Earthquakes?"

"Yes." She looked at the floor, and if it wasn't totally impossible James would've thought there were tears in her eyes. "My mom died in an earthquake when I was seven. The house came crashing down on top of her. I watched it happen." She sniffed, drying her eyes. "I've never been able to forget it. I could hear her screaming, and then it all just went quiet . . ."

"Oh, Steph." James enveloped her in a hug, letting her cry on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"It's ok. It happened nine years ago. I'm getting over it, but I'm still scared of earthquakes." She smiled up at him. "One of the reasons I was originally going to try finding fame in Europe instead of California."

James grinned back at her. "It'll be ok. We're gonna win this game."

Stephanie nodded determinedly. "Definitely." Her smile faltered for a second. "You said that Daniel wanted one of us?"

"Yeah. He said he was in love with them. That they were the prize, and then he said something about dark and light."

"Dark needs the light," Stephanie replied simply.

"How did you know?"

"I figured it was something along those lines. Apparently it's always been that way. Opposites attract. Anyway, did he say who it was, or give any hints?"

"I know it's not me, and he wouldn't say who. He just said he's my worst nightmare."

Stephanie giggled, unable to stop herself. "You drew the Shadow man on your card? You really took the game seriously!"

"I didn't draw him, I drew . . ." James gasped. "Oh my God, no."

"What? Did you figure it out?"

James's hands were clenched into fists. "See if you can guess."

* * *

"You're the one who sold us the game, aren't you?" Kendall rested his back against the wall of the cage, arms folded across his chest. He'd walked straight to the thin metal bars when he saw Daniel appearing outside the cage. Now he wanted answers.

"I was waiting for your friends to come."

"But _why?_ What did we ever do to you?"

"Nothing."

"Then why do this to _us_?" Kendall demanded.

"You don't know?"

"If I did would I be asking?"

"No, I suppose you wouldn't. Alright, I'll tell you why." He stepped closer, and now the only thing between them was a couple inches of steel. "I fell in love with you."

Kendall stared at him in shock. Out of the million reasons he's suspected, this wasn't one of them. He'd imagined being eaten, or used as a slave, or _something _gruesome. He definitely wasn't expecting love to be involved.

"Are you surprised? You shouldn't be. I first saw you when you were little—five, I think. You were such a cute little thing; when you smiled it was like there was light shining all around you."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Who do you want me to be?" Without waiting for an answer, he went on. "I love you, Kendall. I came from my world to get you. I've been watching you as you grew up to what you are now. I'll be whoever you want; I'll _give _you anything you want."

"You're_ insane_." Hysteria was threatening to take over his head. _Dear God, help me. I'm sorry for everything I've done; please just get me away from him_ . . .

"I could make your wildest dreams come true. Ask me for anything, while I'm still in a good mood. It'll be harder to get on with me later. I don't want to hurt you, and if you give in to me now, it'll be easier. I'm going to get you eventually."

"Oh, really?" Kendall's head snapped up to glare into those piercing eyes.

"I never lose, Kendall."

Kendall felt anger surging up inside him. He always liked a challenge. "I'll never give in to you," he snarled. "I'll die first."

"I was afraid you'd say that. From now on, your friends are playing to save you. And they might get hurt."

"Wait a minute—"

"I warned you. I'll be back soon enough, and we'll talk then." Daniel vanished without another word. Kendall felt his knees give way underneath him as he fell onto the ground. If any of his friends got hurt, he'd never forgive himself.

* * *

James and Stephanie soon spotted a small figure ahead of them, sitting on the floor with their back against the wall. As they got closer, the figure became recognisable. "It's Carlos!"

They ran up to him. He looked up at them in surprise and joy. "James! Stephanie!" He leaped to his feet and hugged them both. "I was wondering when someone else was gonna show up! I've been sitting here for half an hour."

"There weren't any doors?" James asked.

"No . . . oh, wait! There's one over here!" He led them a few more steps down the hall. Without hesitation, Stephanie pushed it open and walked through. "What did you draw as your worst nightmare?" she asked Carlos. "Cos whatever it is, we have to face it in here." She frowned. "It's the same hallway!"

Carlos and James followed her, the door slamming shut behind them. It was the same hallway, completely identical. "Well, it looks like we won't be facing my nightmare," Carlos said, scratching his head. "Oh darn."

James rolled his eyes, scratching the back of his neck. "It'll probably show up eventually." He sat on the floor, sighing. "So, what did you draw?"

"Oh. Uh . . ." Carlos and Stephanie sat down next to him. "It's kind of embarrassing. A kid's thing."

"It can't be that bad," Stephanie smiled, scratching the back of her wrist. "It'll help if you tell us."

James nodded in agreement, feeling another annoying tingly feeling, this time on his arm. He scratched it angrily, looking down at his tan skin. He stopped, staring in horror. There was a green spot on his arm, and it was growing. In an instant he'd jumped to his feet, shaking his arm furiously. "What the heck . . .?"

Carlos and Stephanie jumped up too. Carlos was whimpering as he pulled up his sleeve. There were leaves growing on his arm. There was green growing on all three of them. James's was like moss, Stephanie's like little thorns. Carlos was screaming. He yanked his shirt over his head. There were leaves covering his chest and stomach as well. He went hysterical.

"Get it off me! Oh my God _GET IT OFF!" _He shrieked in pain as Stephanie took hold of a sprig and yanked at it. "I don't care how much it hurts, just get it off me!"

They all pulled at it, but James could see tiny roots connecting it to his skin. He was starting to bleed. "Carlos, we can't keep pulling it, it's gonna take your skin off!"

"_I don't care!_" He kept pulling, sobbing as the plants starting growing on his neck. "I can't take it . . ."

"What do we do?" Stephanie asked James frantically. He shrugged helplessly, looking around the hallway. "The candles!"

Carlos dived straight for one of the candles in the wall, and stopped in mid-lunge. There were long white roots attaching his feet to the floor. He didn't scream this time; he just cried. James reached up and grabbed one, wordlessly holding it to the plant on the small Latino's chest. Instantly, the leaves started melting away. He smiled. "Steph, get another one." Together they got rid of all the leaves they could see. Once they were done, the little patches on their own arms vanished too. And the door opened.

They all smiled shakily at each other. "Nice work," Carlos grinned; suddenly back to his old self. "Shall we continue?"

James couldn't help laughing. "We shall." He picked up a paper card off the floor. There was a bush drawn on it, with arms and legs sticking out. No head. He shuddered. "Yeah, that was my nightmare," Carlos said shyly. "Turning into a plant. You know what I was like as a kid; always covered in dirt. My dad said if I didn't keep myself clean things would start growing on me. He didn't mean anything by it, but it really freaked me out. It's silly."

"No, it's not. It's horrible." Stephanie smiled sweetly. "But you were really brave."

**Bad ending to the chapter? I'm sorry. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Kendall was standing still, eyes shut, breathing hard. He was trying to get hold of his emotions. All his friends were in danger because some freaky devil boy was in love with him. It was too much to grasp.

Then Daniel showed up, inside the cell, right in front of him. "What are you doing here?" He snapped, not in the mood for a conversation.

"Did you know your eyes are as dark as pine trees? That means you're unhappy. When you're happy, they get lighter; they go all goldy-green."

"How would you know? You've never seen me happy!"

"Are you sure? I'm a shadow man, Kendall."

While Kendall was trying to figure out what he meant by this, Daniel stepped closer. "Pine eyes and sun-glowing skin. And your hair . . . it's like gold."

"Are you _done?_" He frowned thoughtfully. "What did you mean when you said—"

"May I?" Kendall was so lost in his thoughts that he nodded automatically, and suddenly Daniel's hands were in his hair, stroking it, tangled in it. He was too shocked to move, and if he was gonna be totally honest, there was a really tiny part of him that liked it. Daniel was smiling to himself. "Don't," Kendall said in a small voice, finding himself backed into the wall.

"Have I told you about your mouth? It's so soft. Perfect, except it's usually a little solemn. There's something you've been looking for, and you're not getting it."

"Leave me alone," Kendall protested faintly, not doing a very good job, because Daniel ignored him.

"I can show you what you've been looking for. Will you let me? Let me show you, Kendall." Kendall shook his head slightly. Something about his voice drained him of all free will. "Let me show you," Daniel said again, so softly that Kendall could barely hear him. His fingers were still tangled in his hair, urging him to tilt his head up. Their lips were inches apart, and Kendall was almost drifting towards him. Then something snapped him out of it.

"Stop it," he protested, louder and firmer than before. "Stop."

"Do you really want me to?"

"_Yes_."

"Ok." To his surprise, Daniel stepped back. Kendall couldn't breathe. _Ohmygod I almost kissed him. Not the other way around. Another minute and I would have. What the heck is wrong with me?_

"Why are you doing this to me?" he whispered, finally getting hold of himself.

Daniel sighed. "I told you; I fell in love with you. I didn't do it on purpose."

"But we're so different."

"Opposites attract, Kendall."

Kendall shook his head, staring at Daniel for one long moment. Two things he was sure of; Daniel was in love with him. Somehow he just knew this, even though he didn't want to accept it. Two; Daniel was completely evil. "If you want me so much, why don't you just take me?" he demanded. "Why go through with this whole game thing? You can grab me anytime, so why don't you just do it?"

Daniel didn't answer, looking at the floor. Then Kendall realised. "Because you can't," he breathed. "You can't do anything you want, not even here."

"I make the rules here—"

"Not all of them! That's why you asked if you could touch my hair. That's why you tried to make _me _kiss _you._ You can't do anything without my permission."

"Be careful, Kendall." His face was cold and cruel, but Kendall just laughed.

"If you can kiss me against my will, prove it. Show me—do it now." And he added a phrase he remembered from when he took Italian in his old High School. "Sto aspettando!" He had a feeling Daniel would get it. It meant, _I'm waiting._

Daniel didn't move, and Kendall felt another surge of triumph. Daniel glared daggers at him. "I don't think you realise what I'm capable of. One of your friends is about to go through his nightmare, and I'm gonna go and make sure it's something he won't forget for a long time."

Then he vanished. Kendall groaned in frustration. He was the most annoying, the most obnoxious, and the most evil person he'd ever met. Grrrrrrrrr!

* * *

They found Guitar Dude pacing the hallway in front of a door. "Stephanie!" he smiled. "It feels like years since I've seen you!"

"I know," Stephanie replied with a roll of her eyes. "I've been counting the seconds we've been apart."

Neither of them meant a word of it, and James knew. He envied them; he missed Kendall so much, like an ache in his chest. He noticed Carlos looking a little wistful too. He cleared his throat. "So, GD, what did you draw as your nightmare?"

He rolled his eyes. "I drew my guitar being smashed against a wall." Carlos raised his eyebrows. "Right." He went and opened the door. Guitar Dude looked at it in surprise. "It didn't open when I tried it before."

"Well, it's open now," Carlos replied with a wink, walking in without hesitation. The others followed him in. They walked all the way in, ignoring the door shutting behind them. They walked to the centre of the room. They were all looking around in puzzlement. "Nothing's happening," James said thoughtfully.

Then there was a bright flash of light. It kept shining in their faces, flickering, glowing. And making a crackling sound. Guitar Dude made a strange choking noise, because they were surrounded by fire, and they couldn't see the door anymore. Guitar Dude was whimpering and shaking violently. They were all scared, but he had practically gone hysterical. Then he started screaming. Stephanie shook him by the shoulders. "Alexander Donovan Cohen, calm down right now!" With that, Stephanie grabbed Guitar Dude by the sides of his cheeks and kissed him, long and hard.

"I live to obey," he said weakly, looking a lot calmer.

"Sure," Stephanie muttered, trying not to smile. "Come on, this is your nightmare. You just have to get through it." She looked around, the light from the fire shining on her face. "Daniel wouldn't make the game impossible to win. There's a way out, somewhere."

"Maybe it's all an illusion," Carlos said absent-mindedly. Everyone turned to stare at him. "What? What'd I say?"

"You said something smart!" James looked around. "The door was over there. Maybe if we keep picturing . . . coldness or something, we can get through without it hurting us."

"I hate to burst your bubble, but that fire burns," Guitar Dude said. "I've got blisters."

"That's because you believed it's real and that it can hurt you! If you believe it can't, then it won't! Don't you see?"

"We see, but will it work? That's the question." Stephanie cast a blank look at all of them, and then shrugged. "Only one way to find out." Then she plunged into the fire and disappeared. James didn't know who screamed first, but all three boys were now shrieking and yelling.

"Stephanie!"

"Come back!"

"We could've tested it with Carlos's finger or something!"

"Hey!"

"Oh, no offence."

Then a shadow darkened the blinding glow of the fire for a second, and Stephanie appeared again. "We were right; it does work! Just walk forward, count to ten and you're through."

James swallowed. He knew it must be true if Stephanie was here without a mark on her, but he was still afraid. What if he just let the fire burn him? What if he couldn't just tell himself it was fake? But Carlos had taken his hand and was pulling him forward, Stephanie doing the same with a struggling Guitar Dude. Then they were in the fire, and it hurt. Smoke filled his lungs and choked him, making him cough and splutter. The fire and smoke were blinding him, tears streaming down his cheeks. But it didn't burn him. Then he saw a dark rectangular shape ahead, and then they were all falling through the door, on top of each other. It slammed shut and disappeared.

Carlos sat up first, taking slow, deep breaths. Then he started laughing. "What's so funny?" James asked, sitting up too.

Carlos turned to Guitar Dude, giggling. "Is your name really Alexander Donovan Cohen?"

Guitar Dude nodded, squeezing his eyes shut in a grimace. "I still haven't forgiven my parents for that one."

"No wonder you stuck with Guitar Dude," James smirked. Soon they were all laughing, even as Guitar Dude picked up his card and put it in his pocket without looking at it. "Should we keep going?" he asked. And they did, walking down the hallway that James didn't even seem to mind anymore. Then they turned the corner and stopped.

"Finally, a staircase," Stephanie breathed. Not even bothering to consider any booby traps hidden on the steps, they dashed up and into the next hallway.

* * *

Daniel smiled at Kendall, spooking him a little. "I have something for you." He conjured up a silver rose out of nowhere, stepping into the cell as he held it out. Kendall hesitated before taking it in his hand. "Thanks."

Daniel smiled. "You're welcome. There's something else I want to talk to you about." Kendall reached up and brushed a strand of blonde hair out of his face. He saw Daniel's smile widening, and got a bad feeling in his gut.

"Have you ever wondered about all those times you played hockey without the protective gear on and didn't get hurt?" Daniel asked. "Or those times when you walked around the bad parts of LA without getting mugged, or worse? Or back in Minnesota, when you came up with all those crazy, dangerous schemes and didn't end up with a broken neck?"

"I . . ." Logan was always yelling at Kendall for doing these things. He'd just never really considered that the smart boy was right. He just went and did these things without a second thought. "No."

"I've been watching over you, protecting you. Nobody can hurt you, and nobdy can touch you. No one but me."

"But that's impossible! I've . . . I've been doing all that since I was little . . ." his voice trailed off, the truth finally starting to dawn on him.

"You don't think I could've known you that long? But I have. I've always loved you, Kendall." He smiled. "It's always been you and only you."

Kendall leaned against the wall for support. Every time he thought this guy couldn't shock him or shaken him any more than he already had, he was proven wrong. Then his breath caught in his throat, because Daniel had taken his hand. He just held it gently, the tips of his fingers stroking it lightly. Then his other hand reached up and stroked Kendall's cheek, and then he got worried. _How can he touch me? A second ago he couldn't . . ._

Then he figured it out. Daniel had given him a rose. He'd held it in his hand; he'd touched his cheek with the same hand. How stupid could he get? Daniel's hand was cupping his cheek now, pulling him closer. He yanked his hand out of Daniel's and stepped away. "You tricked me."

"You seem offended by it."

"I am offended! But that trick won't work again, you know."

"I know. But another one will. Trust me; you're going to be completely mine by the time this game is over."

Kendall wished he could think of something more mature to say than "In your dreams!"

Daniel just smirked. Kendall just managed to resist punching him in the face. This was just a game Daniel was playing, trying to get permission to touch more of him. When he turned to look back at Daniel, he was gone.

* * *

Carlos was the first to spot the next player. They were walking down the dark hallway, and then he just stopped, stared for a second, and dashed off. "Logan!" The others took off after him, spotting Logan as they ran got closer. Carlos was hugging Logan tightly. "You're ok! I was so worried about you!"

James and Guitar Dude looked at each other with raised eyebrows. "Carlos? Logan?" James was sniggering. "Is there something you failed to tell us?"

"N-no!" Logan stuttered, blushing. "It's not like we're . . . together or anything . . ."

"Aw!" Stephanie grinned. "That's so adorable!"

"Ahem, moving on!" Logan looked at each of them. "Are you gonna explain to me what's going on?"

"What is there to explain?" James said with a sigh. "We're playing a game with the Shadow Man, and Kendall's the prize."

"Kendall?" Guitar Dude, Carlos and Logan were all staring. James had forgotten to explain to any of them. "You know, I've just remembered something," Logan said thoughtfully. "When I was little, maybe ten or so, my parents were working all day and they hired a nanny to look after me. She was German, and she told me stories this time when I was sick. Anyway, she told me about the nine worlds, and one of them was a world of ice and shadows."

"What's your point?" Guitar Dude asked.

"I just thought it was interesting, with him calling himself the Shadow Man. Apparently the shadow men are kept in their world by a rune of restraint. An ancient alphabet, y'know?" He frowned. "Hold on; I think I remember seeing something like that somewhere before. The runes . . ." He shrugged. "It'll come to me in a while." He looked at James. "So, Kendall's the prize? That's unexpected."

"Daniel is Kendall's demon lover," Stephanie said with a wild grin. "Funny, isn't it?"

James turned to Logan. "So, you wanna tell us what you drew on your card?"

"Ok," Logan replied steadily. "UFO. Honestly, it's just a little fear I've had since I was a kid. What about all of you?"

"Earthquakes," Stephanie answered first. "But I was like a freebie, so I didn't have to face my nightmare."

"Fire," Guitar Dude said at the same time that Carlos said "becoming a plant."

They all looked at James expectantly. He sighed. There was no point in lying. "Losing Kendall. It's—because of that time when we were fourteen. You remember, don't you?" Naturally, this question was directed at Logan and Carlos, who both nodded. Then Logan's eyes widened. "Now I remember where I saw those runes! They were in Kendall's attic! There was a book full of them and one carved on a closet door. The police classed it as insanity. Especially since Mr Knight disappeared before they could arrest him." He realised something else as his eyes widened even more. "Didn't Mrs Knight find Kendall at the foot of the attic stairs?"

James nodded. "I was there too; I offered to help her carry her groceries. We found him in the upstairs hallway. Mrs Knight freaked out, yelling at Mr Knight. He just grabbed a handful clothes, stuffed them in a suitcase and ran out the door. He didn't even take his car; he just vanished."

"When I visited Kendall at the hospital, there was a police officer asking him what happened," Carlos continued. "He kept saying he didn't remember, even when I asked him privately. It was strange."

They stood in silence for a second. "We should keep moving," Stephanie said quietly.

* * *

Daniel appeared again in front of Kendall. "How about we make a bargain?"

"Fine." At this stage, Kendall wasn't in the mood to question him.

"I know you must feel totally helpless here, knowing your friends are playing to save you and you can't help them. So, you have two options." He paused dramatically before continuing. "You can go into your nightmare, and if you get through it, you can go back to your friends and go through the game with them. Or, you can go without facing your nightmare . . . if you kiss me."

Kendall raised his eyebrows. "I'll take the nightmare." He couldn't help smirking. "Did you honestly think I'd give in to that?"

"No, but it was worth a shot." Then the room around Kendall started crumbling away. There was blinding light shining in his eyes. Then the room was taking place around him again. But it wasn't the cell he'd been locked in previously. It was the living room of the house he lived in before Big Time Rush. And he saw something else that really spooked him. A ghostly someone getting off the couch and going upstairs. It was himself, at fourteen.

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Kendall watched his ghostly self walk up the stairs. It was like watching a movie. And he could remember this! He'd been home alone that evening, and he was supposed to be looking for the old clothes and stuff in the attic. His mom wanted to take them to the charity shop. He didn't know why she'd chosen that specific day to get them.

He followed his ghostly self upstairs, noticing that as soon as he stepped into the upstairs hallway, the stairs behind him vanished. And the doors leading into the bedrooms of the house were gone too. So now he had no way out. He watched his fourteen-year-old self walk up the other flight of stairs to the attic. He went up after him, looking around.

Kendall's worst nightmare . . . he didn't even know what it was. He'd wake up in the middle of the night, covered in sweat and unable to breathe, and he couldn't even remember what he'd been dreaming about. He was terrified, but he didn't know what terrified him. The truth was that he didn't want to remember. But as long as he watched without trying to guide the images, the strange ghostly movie went on.

His ghost was looking around in confusion, and Kendall could see why. Nobody ever went up to the attic except his dad, because he used it as a study or something. Kendall didn't want to remember. He took a deep breath and relaxed himself, watching Ghost-Kendall's eyes skim over everything in the attic. He hesitated for a second before walking to a small bookcase covered in dusty, worn books. Kendall looked too. He looked at the titles on some of the books. Some of them looked normal enough, like _UFO's: A new look_. Others were totally unfamiliar, like _The Quabalah_ and _De Occulta Philosophia_. Fourteen-year-old Kendall had moved on to the next bookcase that contained a load of random objects. There were rows of glass jars filled with herbs. Kendall spotted a looped cross next to them—an ankh. Carlos's grandma Isabel travelled a lot, and she'd told him they were an Egyptian symbol that kept away bad luck.

There was a Mexican Eye of God hanging from the ceiling. Isabel told him about them too; there was one hanging in the Garcia's living room, for decoration. It was a charm that protected you from evil. He recognised more that fourteen-year-old Kendall wouldn't understand; all charms of protection. Taking a quick glance at his surroundings, he saw there were more hanging on the walls, the ceiling, and mixed in with the piles of regular attic junk. What were they all for? While his fourteen-year-old self had evidently got bored of this and was looking for the box of clothes, sixteen-year-old Kendall looked at the few charts that were hanging on the wall. He could see from the titles that they were all pretty much the same thing. _The Theban Alphabet. The alphabet of the Magi. Numerical values of the Hebrew alphabet._ All the charts had strange symbols printed on them.

Kendall looked at his fourteen-year-old self and saw he was still focused on finding what he'd come for. He moved over to the desk, looking at all the papers. One was a chart like the ones on the wall. He figured out what the symbols were; Logan had told him about them before. They were runes. Each symbol had its title and its meaning written under it in his dad's messy handwriting.

_Uruz_, he read. _For piercing the veil between worlds_. He recognised that one, that inverted U. It had been on the game box. He frowned thoughtfully to himself. So that's what they'd done when they started the game. Interesting. He kept reading. _Raidho_—shaped like an R—for _journeying in space and time_. _Dagaz_, which looked like an hourglass on its side, stood for _awakening_. There were more, but his attention was directed elsewhere.

One of the runes was circled with a thick black pen stroke. It looked like a backward slanting X. _Nauthiz. For containment_. The last word was underlined several times. Kendall took one more look around the room, feeling a chill in his bones.

He'd been hiding from the truth for two years, and even as he looked through this memory, but there was no denying it now. His dad was a _sorcerer_.

_Don't think about it; just don't remember . . ._ a voice in his head kept saying. He realized it was going to be bad from here on. But he had to remember. For Carlos and Logan. For GD and the girls. And James. He had to do it for James. He was sure they'd all faced their own nightmares. Was his any worse than theirs? _Yes it is_, the voice said, but he didn't listen this time. He started concentrating, picking up an old journal and ignoring the feeling of doom in the pit of his stomach. _Remember, remember . . ._ He flicked through it. Parts of it were illegible, others weren't.

_. . . out of all methods from different cultures this one seems safest . . . the rune Nauthiz provides an eternal constraint, preventing movement in any direction . . . the rune must be carved, then stained with blood, and finally charged with power by pronouncing its name aloud . . ._

Kendall skipped forward to a later entry.

_. . . interesting treatise on the traditional methods of dealing with the djinns . . . why they think it can be accomplished by using a bottle is beyond me . . . I believe the space I plan on using is just large enough to contain the tremendous energies involved . . ._

Dear God, he sounded like a mad scientist. He skipped further again.

_. . . I have achieved the containment at last! I'm very satisfied . . . not the slightest danger . . . foolproof methods . . . the tremendous forces . . . all in complete safety . . ._

Kendall put the journal down, feeling his whole body begin to shake. He had all the pieces of the puzzle now. But he didn't want to put them together. He looked back at his fourteen-year-old self, who was straightening up and running a hand through his hair thoughtfully, looking around. His eyes rested on the door at the far end of the attic. It led to a closet, Kendall assumed. His ghost self walked up to it, ignoring the rune carved on the door, stained a rust brown colour. A backwards-slanting X. The ghost looked at the door before grasping the doorknob with one hand—then the ghost disappeared because Kendall didn't need him anymore.

_I opened the door. I opened the closet . . ._

Kendall knew he had to open it himself. Every step up to it had his heart pounding. _Don't don't don't_, his body said. But he had to do it if he was going to get through it. He placed a shaking hand on the doorknob. Now one half of his mind was trying to stop him too. _Don't do it . . . no, __**don't!**__ . . ._

He flung open the door. Ice and shadows were the first thing he saw.

It was all he _could_ see. The closet was wide and deep, and inside was whirling mixture of white and black. Frost coated the walls and icicles hung from the ceiling like long sharp teeth. A blast of icy wind went straight through him, chilling him as if he'd just dived into the Arctic Ocean. It was so cold it stopped his breath. It stopped him from moving. It was so bright it blinded him. He just got one glimpse of what was at the centre of the whirlpool of light and dark.

He saw eyes. Dark eyes, watching eyes, cold, cruel, sardonic, amused eyes. He recognized them; he remembered them now. They were the eyes in his nightmares, the eyes he saw in the dark corners of his room in the middle of the night. One pair was a piercing blue.

He didn't have the air to scream; his lungs were rebelling against the freezing wind he was trying to draw into them. The cold was enveloping him now, _and the eyes were coming out._ They were rushing towards him, and he still couldn't move. A white storm was drifting out with them, with tendrils and lashings of mist. The tendrils were winding around his body, and they were pulling at him. A rational part of his mind was screaming that mist shouldn't be able to move him, but it was. And there were hands, pulling at his clothes, cold hands touching him, everywhere. _And he still couldn't move._

"_**Kendall!" **_

The voice who called him sounded horrified. Before he could try to turn around, he was caught around the waist and lifted away from the eyes and hands. Any conflict there'd ever been between Kendall and his dad vanished as they hugged each other tightly, Kendall unable to stop shaking. His dad was slashing an X in the air now, shouting one word over and over. "Nauthiz! Nauthiz!" He was trying to trap the—things—back in the closet, but it wasn't working. His movements were becoming more violent, his voice becoming desperate. "Nauthiz!" he screamed faintly. The door wouldn't shut.

Kendall tried to scream. He couldn't. The wind blasted out, frost flowing out on the ceiling, down to the desk, along the walls, over the bookcases, covering the floor in jagged ice. The voices from the mist were cold and cruel, just like the eyes that went with them.

"We won't be put back . . ."

"You know the laws . . ."

"We have a claim now . . ."

Then there was his dad's voice, full of desperate fear. "Anything else . . . you can have anything else—"

"He broke the rune . . ."

". . . set us free . . ."

". . . and we want him."

"Give him to us," the cold voices all said together.

"I can't!" his dad protested. Kendall was shocked to see tears in his eyes and hear genuine desperation in his voice. "He's my son . . . I _can't_—"

"Then we'll _take_ him . . ."

"We'll _embrace_ him . . ."

"No! Let's keep him." This voice sounded different to the others. "I want him. You know I do."

"We all want him . . ."

". . . we're all _hungry_."

"No!" his dad protested again. "I won't let you."

One of the voices spoke up. "There's only one way to change the consequences. Make a new bargain."

His dad's eyes widened as he stepped back from the closet, taking Kendall with him. "You mean . . ."

"A life for a life."

"Someone must take his place."

"Come now, that's only fair."

Their voices were so delicate, and evil. Only the younger voice seemed to have an objection. "I want him!" it argued.

Kendall heard the other voices chuckling. "Ah, youth. Don't worry; you'll have your chance one day . . ."

"I'm ready," his dad sighed, straightening up.

This time Kendall did scream. _**"No!"**_ He could move again, and he was pulling at his dad, as the eyes and mist tried to pull him into the closet. He remembered now; his dad had been screaming when they took him. Kendall had been screaming too, like he was now. And clinging onto one of his dad's flailing arms, like he was now. For a long terrible moment it was like tug-of-war, but Kendall could never beat them. He was being dragged along the icy floor, his clothes torn, his skin scratched. They were both going in, and then his dad had slapped his hands away. Hitting and scratching, he tore out of Kendall's grip, knocking him onto the floor. He was directly in front of the closet, and he had a clear view of the screaming, whirling pinwheel that had been a man disappearing into a white cloud which got smaller and smaller until it disappeared, becoming a closet wall. Kendall had been sobbing alone in silence when the closet door opened again and a pair of eyes came, attached to a body this time. All he saw was dark, leathery skin and long deformed hands reaching out towards him. He shrank back, whimpering, when he saw the leathery thing change, growing shaggy blonde hair and green eyes. It was the image of his dad. The thing reached out towards Kendall, but instead of trying to touch him, Kendall just felt a wave of dizziness and everything disappeared.

* * *

"Kendall? Kendall, are you ok?"

Kendall looked up. He was lying in the upstairs hallway of his house, though he had no idea how he got there. He was still trembling slightly. James, Carlos, Logan, Stephanie and Guitar Dude were all standing there, looking at him.

"We were in the hallway when a door appeared," Carlos explained hesitantly."It let us in to the living room of your house, but there was nothing there so we came up here. But it looks like something's already happened."

"My nightmare," Kendall said in a small voice. He was having a hard time coming back to the present. He still felt like the terrified fourteen-year-old from the attic. Steph and GD looked like strangers. Not the others, obviously. James seemed to realise this, kneeling down next to Kendall and putting an arm around him. "What happened?" he asked gently.

"I lost," Kendall replied dully. "I screwed up and I couldn't save him."

"Is this about your dad? Because whatever he did to you wasn't your fault—"

"Hold on!" Kendall cut him off. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, everyone thought that he tried to—I mean, that he was hurting you."

"_What?"_

"We found you here, next to the attic steps, with your clothes all torn and your arms all scratched. You were bleeding heavily . . ."

"From the ice," Kendall whispered. "I got dragged through the ice. And he scratched my hands to make me let him go. They were taking him. He let them take him instead of me. He saved me." Then suddenly he was sobbing again, and he felt James's arms around him, holding him. And other pairs of arms. They were all around him, trying to help.

"We all had each other when we went through our nightmares," Stephanie said. "It's not fair that you had to face yours alone."

"But there's something I don't understand," Guitar Dude said with a frown. "You're the prisoner. Why are we here with you if we don't have Camille or Jo yet?"

Kendall ran a hand through his hair. "Daniel said if I got through my nightmare I could play the game with you." He shut his eyes helplessly. "My nightmare was of something that actually happened, not something that _might_ happen—and it was because of me. I let them out. It was my fault."

"Tell us," Logan said, trying to be helpful.

"My dad was a sorcerer," Kendall said. He turned to look at James. "So, all this time everyone thought he tried to hurt me?"

"What were we supposed to think?" James demanded. "We knew he hit you when he got mad. And you were here, practically in a coma. You wouldn't stop screaming if anyone tried to touch you, but you wouldn't talk to us. And he didn't deny it; he just packed his stuff and left. And when the cops looked upstairs and saw all that stuff . . . well, they knew he was crazy."

"The man you saw when you came back wasn't him; it was just one of _them_, disguised as him. I don't know why they did that. And he wasn't crazy; he was a sorcerer. Not a bad one, but not a good one either. I dunno; I think he was a little naive. He didn't think anything could go wrong . . . like someone coming and opening a closet that was supposed to stay shut."

"What was in the closet?" Stephanie asked. "A monster?"

"Daniel. Daniel and the other Shadow Men."

They all stared at Kendall. He sighed. "My dad—I guess he wanted power. Knowledge. Maybe he used runes to capture them, but I really have no idea." He swallowed. "He was keeping them trapped, but I let them out, and they said they had the right to take me. But he went instead. He did it for me." He laughed shakily. "It's funny, y'know? All those times he hurt me . . . he kind of made up for it when he did that."

Carlos nodded solemnly. "If we're gonna get through this, we have to stick together, right?" He held his hand out, waiting. Logan placed his hand on top with a smile. "Right." Kendall and James got to their feet, doing the same. So did Stephanie, adding a wild grin. Then Guitar Dude.

"Now that we got that out of the way," Logan said calmly. Then, totally without warning, he enveloped Kendall in a tight hug. "I was worried, man! Don't EVER disappear again, got it?"

"I thought Carlos was the one whose hugs were dangerous," Kendall choked, earning a scowl from the Latino. "But I missed you guys too. A lot."

Carlos's frown vanished, replaced by a big smile. "Ok! Shall we move on?"

"There's something I don't get, though," Kendall said. "Daniel told me I'd be with all of you if I got through my nightmare. But I didn't. I lost, and you're all here anyway."

James shrugged. "You must've done something right," James said with a shrug.

"But there's no way out. The stairs is still gone." As soon as he said it, a door appeared where the door leading to Katie's room would be. They wnet to see if they could open it.

They could, and soon they were all back in the hallway, walking along in high spirits. It was almost like they were taking a walk around the park, or around town.

"How have the nightmares been so far?" Kendall asked awkwardly.

"Frankly, they've been terrible," Carlos said simply. "But we're all still here."

"I'm sorry." Kendall sighed. "Daniel actually said he'd stop hurting you if I-"

"Don't even think about it!" Stephanie cut in.

"What an idea!" GD scoffed.

"I hope you didn't even give him the time of day," James said.

Kendall smiled. "Uh, thanks guys. It's all a little ridiculous. I don't even know what he sees in me!" Everyone stared at him. Then Logan rolled his eyes.

"No, you wouldn't, would you? But everyone else does."

"It's not just looks," Stephanie continued. "You're _good_. Too good, sometimes. I've told you before-"

"Isabel would say your soul is straight," Carlos put in.

"Like a boy scout," GD added. "Good, simple and honest."

"But it's not like I've never done a bad thing in my life! I've done plenty-"

"Yeah, but it's not the same," James said. "You ddn't want to come to LA; you did it for me. You took all that crap from yuor dad for Katie and your mom. You're always living for other people instead of yourself."

They fell into silence, and when they came to the next door, their moods darkened just a little.

"I guess it's my turn now," Logan said with a sigh. "Oh, goody."

James rolled his eyes. "Since it's your nightmare, you can open the door."

Logan reached forward without hesitation, pushing it open. He was being a lot braver than James expected. They all walked in, nobody even reacting to the door slamming and vanishing behind them. "This is your room from your house in Minnesota," Carlos said with a frown. "I don't get it."

James went to the window, pulling the curtains aside. "And the view from the window isn't like what I saw before. It's just a normal view of the front yard."

"Don't you remember what I said?" Logan asked in a blank voice. "I drew a UFO."

As soon as he said it, a red light began to shine outside the bedroom window. The stereo on Logan's bedside locker had started crackling, a loud throbbing noise filled the room. Then a gigantic silhouette appeared outside the window. It blocked out the stars, whirring around and sending the trees in the yard thrashing around in a violent wind. James hadn't realised he was clutching Kendall's shirt until Kendall clung onto him too. Everyone was clinging onto each other, shouting over the whirring noise.

"What is it?"

"What do you think it is, dummy? I drew a freaking UFO!"

"Don't call him dummy!"

"I'm sorry! Fear makes me angry!"

The UFO cast a long beam of light in the window, shining it in all their faces. James heard the sound of glass shattering and knew the window was gone. Then he found he couldn't move. The light was paralyzing him; his muscles felt like jelly. He was losing consciousness. With a huge effort, he turned his head to look at his friends. They were all the same.

Logan was staring at the UFO, pupils dilated, unable to help anyone. Carlos was the first to pass out, but instead of landing on the ground when he fell, he just floated. GD was next, and then Stephanie. Then James's mind blanked out, and he felt himself falling.

* * *

The room was round. James was lying on a table that formed the shape of his body. A white light shone on him directly from the ceiling. He could just about lift his head, and he saw that a few feet away, Logan was lying on a table identical to his. Stephanie, Kendall and the others were on the other side of the room. GD and Carlos were strapped to the wall, and Kendall and Stephanie were sitting in chairs, shackles tying their wrists and ankles to the chair. They were all awake, and looking around in fear and confusion.

"We've got to get out of here," James mumbled.

"I can't move," Logan replied. "Can you?"

James tired to move, but his limbs all felt as heavy as lead. Then he spotted movement by the door. They were small; all about Carlos's height. They had large black eyes like an insect, and slits for noses. Their skin glowed, but it looked so wrong and alien, like something you'd see crawling out from under a rock. They were naked, but there was nothing to determine if they were male or female. They were its. James knew they were going to hurt him and the others.

Logan mad a whimpering sound. James saw the spotlight above him had dimmed a little and Logan's had gotten brighter, because Logan was trying to get away. James had seen Logan frightened before, but never like this. He was thrashing like an animal, eyes wild, sweat glistening on his forehead as he tried to move. The more he thrashed around, the brighter the light above him got.

"Logan, stop it!" James heard Stephanie call. "It's no good; you'll just tire yourself out!"

Logan stopped, panting. The aliens were crowding around Logan, one bringing a long tray on a cart. The tray was full of gleaming instruments. James's eyes widened as he realised what was going to happen. One of them picked up something long and shiny, examining it, and flexing it with his long fingers. Then it casually flicked the thing up Logan's thigh. Logan screamed.

James was so scared he tried to get up. The leg of Logan's grey jeans gaped where the thing had cut it. James could see blood. Carlos was yelling at the aliens, telling them to 'back off or else'.

Then one of the aliens walked over to James, with a different tool. James felt a pinch on his hand, but then he felt the probe go in his ear. Outraged, he started struggling, but another alien's strong hands held his head still. He felt the probe go in deeper, managing not to scream. It hurt like crazy. The alien took the probe out and stuck it in his other ear. Then it held one of James's eyes open. James felt the cool metal touch his eyeball and lost it.

He screamed, thrashing about wildly, even though it didn't do any good. He could hear Kendall yelling this time, although his own screaming made it difficult to understand what he was saying. There was a shifting among the aliens, and a taller one appeared, obviously in command. The other aliens stepped away from James and Logan's table. This tall alien looked different from the others. His skin was paler and his eyes weren't black. They were blue.

The new alien looked at all of them in turn, before walking over to where James's friends were tied up. James and Logan both turned to look. The new alien stopped right in front on Kendall, looking down at him with its piercing eyes. Kendall stared back, and James couldn't tell anything from the blonde's expression. Then the alien reached out with a long-fingered hand to cup Kendall's cheek. James didn't know why he did that, but Kendall seemed to know, because he shrank back from the touch, though it didn't do much good.

The alien held out its other hand towards the smaller aliens, and one of them scuttled over with the same tool they'd used on Logan. James eyes widened in horror. _No no no . . ._

He struggled but it didn't make a difference. Seeing it happen to Kendall was worse than having it happen to himself. The alien had pushed up Kendall shirt sleeve so that the pale skin of his forearm was exposed. Then the alien placed the tool there, almost gently. He didn't flick it like the other alien did; he just stroked the skin lightly with it, and Kendall didn't react like James expected; he just shut his eyes and waited for it to be over. James saw a few thin streams of blood trickle down his arm and felt anger surge through him. The blue-eyed alien stepped back, walking over to the tray of tools next to Logan. Then he picked up a long needle and held it above Logan's navel.

Logan's stomach was heaving wildly as he tried to breathe, making another futile attempt to escape.

"Don't touch him!" James, Carlos and GD all yelled at the same time. Logan struggled more, the light above him brightened, and he fell back, exhausted. Now Kendall and Stephanie were shouting too, but the aliens ignored them.

"Leave him alone!"

"You bastard!"

James knew he had to stop this, but he didn't know how.

Then he did know. The light above him grew dimmer when the light above Logan grew brighter. Maybe he could move now . . .

He began to rock back and forth. He could move his torso, head and neck, but his limbs were still too heavy. Logan saw him. Everyone else's eyes, including the aliens', were on the needle above Logan's stomach, but Logan looked at James, and it was like some silent communication passed between them. Then Logan began to struggle again.

The harder Logan fought, the brighter his spotlight got. The brighter his spotlight got, the dimmer James's spotlight got. And then he could move more. James knew that if he fell off the table, there'd be no way to stop it. He'd probably end up with a broken arm or leg. But he kept rocking. Maybe Logan thought he was trying to get away, but he was more interested in distracting them so they wouldn't stab his friend in the stomach. If he fell and hurt himself they'd have to deal with him. They'd leave Logan and the others alone.

He swung harder and harder. Logan kept thrashing, yelling out insults to keep the aliens' attention. James struggled as hard as he could—then felt himself go over the edge. For a second he teetered there at the edge of the table, before toppling down towards the floor. There was a startled move from the aliens and the light above James's table shined brighter than before, but it didn't make a difference now. James shut his eyes and waited for the impact. When it didn't come, he opened his eyes. He was floating an inch or two above the floor. The aliens were scuttling around, not sure what to do. They lifted him back onto his table, but because he wasn't under the light yet, he could move.

He kicked. The alien he'd kicked in the face fell onto the floor, making a horrible shrieking sound. The light above James's table was so bright now that there was almost nothing above Logan. That's when the smaller boy threw himself off the table, landing on the floor with a loud thump. Oddly, he didn't seem too badly injured and got to his feet quickly. Then the aliens left.

Just like that, they were gone. They just faded away, and the six teenagers were left alone.

Logan was pulling James off his table, panting. "I swear to God, that really scared me. You were so clever! How did you figure it out?"

James shrugged, once he was standing up. "I was panicking and it just came to me." He heard someone clear their throat and turned to see the others were waiting to be freed. He and Logan hurried and proceeded to untie their friends. Once they got that out of the way, James spotted the door.

It was exactly like an aeroplane door. It looked strangely familiar as they all hurried towards it. Logan was pulling at levers and things and he pushed the door open. James let out an involuntary shriek. He'd never liked heights, and right now all he could see were clouds below him. Logan sighed and looked back at all of them. "Do we risk it?"

Stephanie shrugged with a smile. "I've always wanted to skydive." Without another word, she dodged past Logan and leaped out into the air, disappearing into the clouds. Logan gulped, before grabbing Carlos by the arm and following. Guitar Dude jumped out too. James backed away from the door, shaking slightly. "I can't do it. I can't . . ."

Kendall looked at him sympathetically. "It'll be fine, James. We all went for the door instinctively, so it must be right."

"Yeah, but—"

"But nothing. C'mon; I'll be right here the whole time." Kendall held out his hand, and James took it slowly. Kendall led him back to the door, before jumping out with James in tow. James did scream then, the wind whipping his hair around. If this was flying he didn't like it very much. His clothes were blowing around, and the wind was hurting his eyes. Then the sky vanished, and they were falling back through Logan's bedroom window and stumbling out the door, landing in a heap on the carpet.

Kendall pulled James to his feet. "See? That wasn't so bad."

"Never again," James mumbled as he looked around at his friends. "Logan, how's your leg?"

Logan looked at the rip on his jeans. "It stings a little, but it's fine."

James turned to Kendall. "What about you—" Then he stopped, because there was no sign that the cut on Kendall's arm had ever been there. "What happened? The alien cut you!"

Kendall shrugged. "No idea. Should we keep moving?"

They did, walking along the hallway until they came to another staircase. As they all stepped onto it, it made a whirring noise and the steps starting moving. "Ah," GD said awkwardly. "I probably should have mentioned that I used to be a little scared of escalators. I used to worry about them catching the end of my muffler."

"You don't wear mufflers," Stephanie said with an eye roll. As they reached the top of the escalators, Kendall saw his reflection. Lots of him. They were standing in a hallway full of mirrors. The last hallway had been quite dark; this one was the opposite. Light bounced off the mirrored walls, the mirrored ceilings, and the mirrors sticking out in front of them, blocking their view of the hallway. They only knew that there were two directions to go in.

"We should split up," James said.

Stephanie nodded in agreement. "I'll go left, with . . . Kendall and Carlos. James, you go right with Logan and GD."

No one protested, and they went their separate ways.

**Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Ok, spoiler: You probably didn't expect this. Please don't hate me.**

"Are my legs really that short?" Stephanie asked. "Or are they trick mirrors?"

Carlos shrugged, made a feeble effort to straighten his wrinkled sweatshirt and gave up.

Kendall's own reflection made him uncomfortable. He could still hear Daniel's voice in his mind. _"Pine eyes, sun-glowing skin and hair like gold . . ."_ That wasn't what he saw at all. He just saw a guy with flushed cheeks, hair that had been tousled after that jump from the UFO, and whose long-sleeve shirt was blood-stained and grey jeans were dusty and worn.

The mirrors were disconcerting. Everywhere Kendall looked his image was thrown back at him. They couldn't see more than one turn behind them and couldn't see what might be waiting around the next corner. Images of the wolf and the snake flashed through Kendall's mind. "Steph, _slow down_," he said as Stephanie's long, light step took her out of sight for the fourth time. She was plunging in and out of the sharp turns, while the two boys walked with their hands outstretched to help them tell reflection from reality.

"No, you guys hurry _up_—" Stephanie was saying from around the next bend, and then there was a flash. It came from ahead. Kendall and Carlos stood frozen for a moment before hurrying around the corner. Stephanie was standing, hands on her hips, in front of a door. It was mirrored like the walls, but Kendall figured it had to be a door, because there was a red button like an elevator button next to it. There was a bright blue light bulb above the button. "It just appeared," Stephanie said with a snap of her fingers. "Like _that_."

From the turn ahead they heard crying. They ran around to see Camille huddled against the wall, her hair and face rested on her folded arms, her legs drawn beneath her. She looked up with a hysterical cry. "Is it really you?"

"Yes," Kendall said, kneeling next to her. He was a little disturbed by the look in her eyes.

"Really, really you?"

"Yes. Oh, Camille, are you ok?" Kendall put his arms around the girl, feeling her trembling.

"I've been alone here for so long, and I kept seeing myself, and then sometimes I saw other people, but when I ran towards them they weren't there . . ."

"Who did you see?" Kendall asked.

"Sometimes I saw Jo—and sometimes _him_. He _scares_ me, Kendall." Camille buried her face in his shirt.

_He scares me too_, Kendall thought. Then he replied out loud, "There's nothing to be scared of. We're all really here, see?" Camille managed a tiny smile.

"Poor Cam," Carlos said. "I guess your nightmare is next."

"Great job, Mr Tactful," Stephanie muttered, elbowing him in the ribs. They explained the nightmares to Camille. She wasn't as disturbed as Kendall expected. "Anything to get out of here," she said.

"I know. I've been here for fifteen minutes, and I hate the place already," Carlos agreed.

They went back to the door. Kendall hesitated with his finger on the button. "I don't suppose you'd like to tell us what you drew as your nightmare?" he asked slowly. Camille nodded readily. "It was a messy room."

"A messy _room_?" Carlos said. "Oh, horror."

"No, really, Camille," Stephanie said, almost sounding like an adult. "It'll help if you tell us."

"I did tell you. It's a messy room."

"It's ok, Camille," Kendall said gently. "We'll deal with it when we get there." He pushed the button and the blue slight went on. The door slid open. It was a messy room.

"You see," Camille said.

It was Camille's room, only more so. Kendall had been to Camille's apartment a few times. Ever since he's known her, her room had been messy. When she and her dad lived in Connecticut her parents had still been together and they'd refrained from being too messy. But, as Jo had said before, Camille had clutter down to a fine art. When you visited her you could barely see the bright curtains or the patchwork comforter on the bed because of all the tings hanging over them, scattered in front of them or piled on top of them. In the room they were looking at now, Kendall couldn't even see the bed. There was a small clear space in front of the closet, but everything else was obscured with piles of junk.

Carlos and Stephanie were giggling. "Trust you, Cam, to have a nightmare like this," Carlos said, smirking.

Kendall sighed, not nearly as amused. "C'mon, let's go in. I guess we have to clean it up—there must be a door somewhere along the far walls."

"Hey, I don't do the C-word!" Carlos protested. "And dust is bad for my allergies!"

"In," Stephanie said, taking him by the ear.

They all squeezed in between the closet and the piles. The door slid shut behind them and disappeared. "Talk about claustrophobia," Carlos gasped.

"This is one messy room," Stephanie said with a despairing sigh. "Camille, how can you stand it?"

Camille's big brown eyes filled with tears. "My real room isn't as bad as _this._ This is my nightmare, remember?"

"Well, why this kind of nightmare?" Stephanie asked, not softening.

"Because my dad never yells about my room, but once my mom came to visit, and she almost passed out. I still dream about what she said."

"Don't make her feel bad," Kendall whispered to Stephanie. "Try to clear a path around the edges," he said aloud. "Then we can check every wall for a door."

The piles of junk were amazingly varied. There were heaps of rumpled clothes, year-old magazines, disjointed Ray-Bans, mismatched shoes, broken CDs, unstrung string bikinis, crushed frozen yogurt cups, bent photographs, chewed pencils, twisted headphones, endless mounds of underwear, and a zoo of tattered soft toys. Kendall also found a dog-chewed Frisbee, a bag of conkers, and half a picture frame.

"It's Spider City in here," Stephanie commented, gathering up one of the heaps. "Haven't you ever heard of Raid?"

"I believe in live and let live," Camille said vaguely.

It really was a nightmare of sorts. A nightmare of tedium. But Stephanie worked with tireless energy, and Kendall and Camille with fastidious precision, and they slowly forged a path through the debris. Carlos was no good—he stopped to flick through every magazine he picked up. They were getting to a new type of garbage—the type that made the girls wrinkle up their noses. Blackened avocado husks, mildewed newspapers, and plastic cups with the dregs of unidentifiable liquids in them.

Then Kendall lifted a box of odds and ends and saw something like a pressed flower on the hardwood floor underneath. But it wasn't a flower; it was the wrong shape. At first he didn't recognise what it was, then he saw the little muzzle and the curled up feet. It was a flat and desiccated mouse.

Horror surged through Kendall. He couldn't help gasping. _Oh God, I can't touch that, I __**can't**_**.** He reached for a 1991 calendar with shaking hands, scooped up the mouse and tossed it into the closet shuddering. He felt a little whisper of terror inside him that went beyond his disgust at the mouse. The garbage got worse and worse—like what you'd find at a dump, not in somebody's bedroom. Food in all stages of decomposition. Every kind of refuse, trash, and litter.

No one was smiling anymore.

Stephanie picked up a tattered Easter basket and paused. There was a horrible smell coming from it. He stirred the cellophane grass with one long finger, and then her face convulsed. In the basket was a solid mass of white, writhing maggots. "Ugh!" In one fluid motion Stephanie threw the basket at the closet, where it hit the door and scattered a shower of white. Carlos bolted from his magazine with a yell. Camille was shrieking.

Kendall felt the quick, cold touch of real fear. "Camille—just _what_ did your mom say about your room?" he asked.

"Oh—she said things were growing in it," Camille reported, eyes large and worried. "She said it would attract bugs. She said it looked like an earthquake hit it. She said someday I would get lost in it and never come out."

Carlos, who had been staring at Camille, now cut a glance of revelation at Kendall. "Uh _huh_," he said.

The tension in the room was palpable.

"And just what kind of nightmares do you have about it?" Kendall asked, trying to discipline his voice.

"Oh." Camille shivered. "Well—it's like I hear a scratchy noise, and then I look and it's these cockroaches, but they're as big as . . . as big as sneakers. And then I see this thing on the floor. It's like fungus, sort of a column of fungus, but it's got a kind of mouth and it's howling. It's howling fungus." Camille's lips were trembling by now. "It may not sound scary, but it was. It was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."

A primitive warning was going off in Kendall's brain. He, Stephanie and Carlos all looked at each other. "It sounds plenty scary to me," he said. "I think we'd better get moving."

"I think maybe you're right," Carlos breathed. He bent to work without another word of complaint.

The closet was full by now, and they were just transferring things from in front of them to behind them, like digging a tunnel. The garbage kept getting grosser and grosser and scarier and scarier. Things they didn't want to touch with their hands. They used T-shirts like oven mitts to move them.

Then the bugs came.

It started with a rustling sound. Kendall stiffened, then turned slowly to look. A cockroach, flat and brown. But it was huge, much larger than Kendall's foot. It crawled out of the floor vent, squirming through somehow, its barbed back legs catching on the metal louvers. Its feet made sot ticking sounds on the paper debris. Camille shrieked and pointed at it. Then another one came out of the vent, and another. Camille's pointing finger became a shaky blur. Kendall reached for a water glass to revive her and snatched his hand back. The glass was jam-packed with crickets, antennae twitching delicately.

Camille saw it. She stopped pointing and went still. Smaller roaches emerged for a discarded candy box, the frilly paper cups crinkling as the bugs crept out. Camille's face was so white there were blue patches under her eyes. Iridescent green beetles the size of footballs began to climb the walls.

Camille stood like a statue of ice. Kendall looked up to see a dozen brown moths as big as small kites clinging flat to the ceiling, their dark-spotted wings outstretched. "Come on, Camille, _help_ us!" Stephanie cried as she raked at the trash. Disturbed ants swarmed out of it, forming thick trails like black waterfalls over the debris.

Camille didn't move. She was staring at one of the beetles like a witless rabbit caught in a headlight.

The ground rocked beneath Kendall's feet. At first he thought it was some effect of the garbage shifting. Then he remembered. _"She said it looked like an earthquake hit it . . ."_

"We have to hurry!" he shouted at the same time as Carlos yelled, "Go, go!"

They were clawing through the garbage now, tearing just enough away from the wall to reveal cracked and peeling wallpaper, to make sure there was no door. They climbed onto smaller mounds, wading through them. The ground shook again, and the whisper of terror inside Kendall became a scream. "Hurry," he gasped, clearing refuse with sweeps of his arms. "Hurry, hurry . . ."

The towering piles of rubbish quaked. They were all working frenetically, even Carlos. Only Camille stood rooted in horror. "The door!" Stephanie shouted from the top of a pile.

Kendall's head snapped up. Relief flooded through him. Barely visible above a stinking pile he could see the rectangular outline of the door. "It opens _in_," Carlos said. "We have to get all this stuff out of the way."

They scrambled over each other, ripping at the pile. A cockroach climbed onto Kendall's foot and up the leg of his jeans. He shook it off. Time to scream later. The room shook again. Kendall looked up and his breath hissed in. There were cracks in the ceiling. At that moment Carlos and Stephanie cleared the last bit of rubble from the door. With a thankful gasp Kendall helped them pull in open. Then he turned to look back.

What he saw wasn't anybody's room; it was Hell. There were huge cracks in the floor with monstrous, mutant bugs crawling out. The ceiling was buckling and plaster was filtering down. The moths, disturbed, were fluttering through the air. And sprouting like grotesque anemones among the refuse were objects Kendall didn't recognise. They looked like drooping sea cucumbers and they were green-gray. Stephanie had stumbled into the hall of mirrors. Carlos was holding the door. The earth rumbled again. "Camille, come on!" Kendall shouted.

Camille turned, her large brown eyes blind. He took a step towards Kendall. Then one of the growths in her path straightened up. It became a column. At the top of the column there was an aperture that flared open and shut. The aperture opened wide. A demented, obscene sound came out. It was howling.

The other growths were straightening. The moaning siren doubled, tripled. They were between Camille and the door. Camille turned and stumbled back towards the closet, shrieking. "Camille, _no!_ Come back!"

The ground heaved. The piles of garbage were toppling, falling into the clear path. The mutant bugs skittered around in a frenzy, and they seemed to be heading towards Camille. The fungus howled. Camille's shrieks gave way to full-throated screaming. _"Camille!"_ Adrenaline kicked in and Kendall plunged into the garbage, trying to climb it.

"Kendall, come back!" Carlos shouted. More rubbish fell. Kendall couldn't see Camille at all. The screams were fading.

"Kendall, I can't hold the door!"

The screams fell silent. Only the howling went on. _"Camille!"_

The earth jerked violently. "It's coming down!" Carlos shouted, and Kendall felt an arm grab him, pulling him backward.

"No—we have to get Camille!"

"We can't get anybody! Come on!"

"No—_**Camille!**_" Kendall screamed, turning again. Carlos ducked and caught Kendall around the waist. Kendall found himself flying over Carlos's shoulders and out the door. Stephanie grabbed him. Through the open door, Kendall saw the ceiling come down. Carlos staggered and fell out beside them. Kendall didn't have the strength to stand up. Then the door slammed shut as the toppling piles fell against it.

"Look," Stephanie said in a thick voice.

The door was disappearing. Fading slowly. It was a door, it was a slightly misty door, it was a transparent door with mirror showing through, it was a mirrored wall. Kendall was staring wildly at his own reflection. Kendall could see the others in the mirror. Carlos looked numb and Stephanie's face was gray. They huddled on the carpet, stunned. It had all happened so suddenly.

Carlos whispered, "In Logan's nightmare, James and Kendall were late coming out and the door didn't disappear. But this time . . ."

"God," Kendall said in a very low voice.

There was a long silence. Stephanie, finally, was the one to say the words.

"She's dead."

Kendall put his face in his hands. It was a gesture he never thought he'd use. At that moment it just happened. He wanted to hide from the world. He wanted to make everything that had happened _un_happen. "It's not fair," he whispered. "She never hurt anybody." Then he was standing shouting to the echoing hallway. "It's not fair. It's not fair, damn you! She didn't deserve it! It's not _fair_!"

"Kendall, Kendall, calm down—come on, now, Kendall, please—just sit down, ok?"

They were both trying to hold him. Kendall realised he wasn't in control of himself. He was trembling violently, and his throat hurt from screaming. As soon as it had come, the hysterical energy faded. Kendall felt himself falling. They set him down.

"It's ok," Carlos said, and Kendall felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's ok to be upset," Carlos said.

They didn't understand. It was Kendall's fault. He was the one who had gotten them into this. If he had given Daniel what he wanted, he could have gotten Camille out.

The game wasn't over yet. But Kendall could only sit.

**Ok, I feel really bad. I apologise to all Camille fans. But all is not lost! I plan on making this story the first of a trilogy (like The Forbidden Game) so anything could happen! Again, I'm sorry. Please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**I know I haven't updated ANYTHING in quite a while, and I'm sorry. OMG I finally got to watch Big Time Crush last night, and I almost died! Kendall and James went to a romantic movie together! *squeals* I don't care if it was only for a copule of minutes and they hated it, the point is that they did it! YAY!**

"What's taking him so long?" Stephanie wondered.

Carlos had gone to look for Jo or the others, who he figured must be around somewhere. Or to see if he could find water—or a blanket—or _something_—for Kendall.

Kendall was in bad shape. He was slumped against the wall across from where Camille's door had been. There was no sign of the door reappearing, but Kendall wouldn't leave. All he could think about, between waves of greyness, was Camille. They'd met Camille their first day in LA; she'd just stormed right up to him and slapped him across the face, practicing for a movie role. Despite the fearless image she often kept up, she'd needed to be taken care of too, and taking care was what Kendall did best. But not this time. This time he'd screwed up. And Camille was gone.

He still couldn't believe it had happened. Any minute now, Camille would come out of the mirrored wall, all big brown eyes and wavy hair.

She didn't.

Kendall let his head fall back against the wall, eyes shut. "I'm gonna go look for him," Stephanie said. "He's been gone a while; he might be in trouble. Stay here, ok? Promise me you'll stay right here." She was talking to him almost in the way you'd talk to a small child. Kendall just gave a small nod.

"Ok. I'll be back in a minute."

Kendall's mind drifted in a haze. Camille slapping him the day she helped them upgrade their apartment, Camille falling off a surfboard the day they went to Venice, Camille chewing on a pencil in the Palmwoods classroom. Camille laughing, Camille frowning, Camille crying the day she thought she was moving back to Connecticut. She didn't have a mean bone in her body, Kendall thought. She was a _good_ person. Something like this can't happen to a _good _person.

_Can it?_

He saw the blue flash behind his closed lids. _Camille!_ He thought wildly, opening his eyes. But the mirror in front of him only showed his pale face and disarrayed hair. Maybe it came from the side . . .

Kendall looked right and left, dazzled by the multiple reflections. He didn't know which way Stephanie had gone. He went right, veering back and forth between the mirrors. Then he turned the corner and saw dozens of reflections of a round blue light bulb. The light was on, and the button underneath it was pressed in. Beside it was a dark rectangle—an open door. Kendall poked his head in, but he could only see darkness.

Had Carlos gone in there? Or Stephanie? Or Logan and the others? Or maybe Camille—

With a click the button popped out and the door started to close. Kendall had a second to choose whether to jump forward or backward. He jumped forward, the door sliding shut behind him. He looked around, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dark. He recognised where he was even in the low light. Rocque Records.

As he walked down the hallway, his eyes strayed to the posters on the walls, of all Gustavo's past boybands. He couldn't help giving a small smile and the gigantic photo Kelly had put up on the wall. It was as large as any of the posters, and showed the four boys, Gustavo and Kelly standing outside the door to Rocque Records. They'd taken the photo the day after their first concert.

Kendall continued walking, and as he turned the corner, he saw James, sitting on the couch outside Gustavo's office, staring blankly into space. "James!" Kendall ran up to him and shook him by the shoulder. A pair of startled hazel eyes met concerned pine ones. "James, did Stephanie or Carlos come in here? What happened to Logan and GD?"

James's eyes shifted. "We got separated. Then this door appeared, so I opened it and came in here. I haven't seen anyone else."

"But what are you just _sitting here_ for?"

"I just . . . I needed time to think."

Kendall reached forward and pulled James to his feet. "But if this is your nightmare then we can't waste any time! We have to find a door—"

"Ok—" Kendall barely managed to hold James up when he collapsed. James clung onto him. "Kendall . . . sorry . . ."

"It's ok." Kendall hugged him back, almost rocking him. "That's what friends are for, right?"

James tried to straighten up, but Kendall eased him onto the couch, still holding onto him. James had always been there for him, so he wanted to be there too. When they were kids they'd spent almost every waking moment together. They'd play in the tree house in James's backyard, or they'd play hockey or soccer at Kendall's place.

James's mind seemed to be on the same track. "Just like when we were kids," he chuckled.

"Yeah," Kendall replied, laughing too. "Remember that time when you fell out of the tree and your knees got all scraped? Then we washed you with the hose so your mom wouldn't get mad." Kendall's face ended up buried in James's shoulder. "Oh, James, I'm so glad I found you." His voice was shaking badly. "Everything's been awful," he mumbled into James's shoulder. "I've been so scared . . . and now—"

He couldn't bring himself to mention Camille. James held him close. "It's ok," he said soothingly. "It'll work out."

_But a wash down with the hose isn't gonna help this time_, Kendall thought, but he didn't say anything. It felt good to hold on to James. Exchanging comfort without words. James was stroking his hair, and it felt so soothing. He felt strength between their bodies. And a warmth that surprised him a little. But he leaned against James, letting him support his weight. He felt secure, and safe. Cared for.

Then when James kissed the back of his neck, it was so tenderly that he felt even safer. When he kissed him again, he felt a tremor run through him. But it was still a nice feeling. And he really wanted James to kiss him again. He did. His lips were so warm on the back of his neck, but then he remembered something important. He put his hands on James's arms, pushing him back slightly. "James, we shouldn't stay here. We need to go . . ."

"I know," James whispered. "Sorry. I . . ." He straightened up, loosening his grip a little, but then he started kissing Kendall's hair. Kendall felt his warm breath there, and despite how much he liked it, he thought they still needed to stop. "James . . . stop it . . ." The problem was that his words were weak. He could barely breathe.

"I can't help it, Kendall." The kisses were coming faster.

"James, we have to find Jo . . ."

"She can wait." Kendall was surprised by the urgency in James's voice. "I know I never said it, but . . . when you were together, she didn't deserve you. She didn't love you enough. You know it's true." James's muscles were hard against him. "And when you broke up, I knew you didn't love her enough either. You weren't meant to be with her. You were meant to be with me." Kendall didn't protest anymore. He slowly closed his eyes and tilted his face up. James kissed him and his senses reeled. He sank right into his embrace. Kissing had never been so soft before. He was kissing James back like he'd never kissed anyone. He was running his fingers through James's soft hair. It was so strange . . . James never liked anyone touching his hair. He said it messed it up . . .

Kendall heard the wild, whimpering noise he made as he leaped back, landing in a heap on the floor. Even as he was jerking away, he knew.

Daniel's blue eyes were as piercing as ever. He was wearing James's graphic T-shirt and grey jeans. Kendall was furiously scrubbing at his mouth with his hand. He was too shocked to be angry. _Did I know? Did I know underneath before he kissed me or while he was kissing me but before I pulled away did I know how could I possibly have known . . .?_

He still couldn't make out what reality was. "How could you know?" he whispered. "You acted like James—you knew things only he would know—"

"I've watched him," Daniel said simply. "I've watched you. I'm the Shadow Man, Kendall—and I love you." His voice was so soft, so mesmerizing, and something inside Kendall seemed to melt at the sound.

Then he thought of Camille. Bight, hot anger surged through him, gave him strength. He looked into Daniel's cold eyes. Any softness he'd ever felt towards him had vanished. He _hated_ him now. Without a word he turned and walked down the hallway. Daniel followed him, and Kendall knew Daniel knew what he was thinking.

"She agreed, you know," he said, catching up to him. "Like the rest of you, she agreed to play the game."

"She didn't know it was real!"

"She swore that she knew the game was real and—"

"You can talk all you want, Daniel—but you killed her."

"_I _didn't do anything to her! Her own fear did it all. She just couldn't face her nightmare."

Kendall gritted his teeth. He knew there was no point in arguing, but he couldn't help it. "It wasn't fair."

Daniel shook his head. "Life isn't fair, Kendall. Haven't you learned that yet?"

Kendall raged on. "What gives you the _right _to play with us like this? How can you _justify_ it?"

"I don't need the right. Listen to me, Kendall. The worlds—all nine of them—are cruel. They don't care about right. There's no ultimate goodness; that's the law of the jungle. If you have the strength, you don't need the right."

"I don't believe you," Kendall replied stubbornly, ignoring the fact that he'd just learned that there were nine worlds.

"That the world is cruel?" There was a newspaper on the coffee table. Daniel snatched it up. "Take a look at this and tell me evil loses and good wins. Tell me it's not the law of the jungle in your world." Kendall didn't want to look at the headlines. He'd seen enough to last him a lifetime. "Reality had teeth and claws," Daniel continued. "And if that's true, wouldn't you rather be one of the hunters than one of the hunted?"

Kendall shook his head. He had to admit that Daniel was sort of right about the world, but the thought made him sick to his stomach.

"I'm giving you a choice here," Daniel said as his face hardened, "I'm pretty sure I mentioned this before, but I'll say it again. If I can't persuade you I'll force you—somehow. If you won't agree I'll have to show you what I mean. I'm tired of playing, Kendall. I want this settled, one way or another."

"It is settled," Kendall snapped. "I'll never come to you. I _hate _you."

Anger flashed in Daniels eyes. "Don't you understand," he said in a slow and savage voice, "that what happened to Camille can happen to you?"

Kendall held back a shiver. "Yes," he said slowly. "I do." And he did, he really did. He probably wouldn't have believed it before. Wouldn't have believed that Daniel was capable of it, or that he could be vulnerable to it. Dying was for old people, not kids his age. Bad things—_really_ bad things—didn't happen to good people.

But the truth was that they did. Now he knew that emotionally, in his heart. Sometimes terrible things happened to people who didn't deserve it. Even Camille. Even himself. It gave him a strange sense of comfort to know that he was now one of the people who understood. There were so many others who's had friends die, or lost parents, or had other terrible things happen to them that they never asked for. _There are a lot of us_, he thought. Without realising it, a few tears had started running down his cheeks. _We're everywhere. And we don't become hunters and turn on other people. None of us do._ Isabelle hadn't. Kendall remembered that Carlos's grandma had lost her husband in a mall shootout just two months before she moved to California. And he remembered something Isabelle had taped to a mirror in her new apartment. It was a handmade sign that said:

Do no harm.  
Help when you can.  
Return good for evil.

Kendall had never asked her about that sign. It didn't need explaining. He felt sorrow creeping in on him. Bad things—the worst—might happen to Kendall right now. And he understood that. "You're right," he said. "Maybe things are that bad. But that doesn't mean I have to give in. I won't join you willingly, so you may as well try force."

"I will," he replied.

It started off so simple. Kendall heard a whining buzz and then a bee landed on his sleeve. Then there was a second buzz, and a bee landed on his other sleeve. Then another buzz, and another. Kendall hadn't never really minded bees. Sure, he wasn't a big fan, but he wasn't the type who went around shrieking "Is there one in my hair?" Still, he wanted to shoo those bees away, but he didn't want to provoke them. He looked at Daniel, who didn't respond. Then he heard another buzz and a bee was in his hair. It was clinging onto his hangs; he could see in his peripheral vision.

Daniel smiled.

Then Kendall heard a thrumming sound, and turned to find the source of it. A swarm of bees clustered next to one of the bright ceiling lights. Kendall took a step backward and heard a warning buzz from his hair. Then the ball of bees was moving, breaking up. Heading like a dark cloud towards him. Kendall looked once more at Daniel, and then the bees started to fall on him like hail. They clung to his arms, his shoulders, his chest. He had to hold him arms out so he wouldn't crush the ones on his sides. He knew that if he did, they would sting.

Then it simply became a nightmare.

The bees were heavy, covering him like a blanket. Too heavy. Kendall staggered. He shut his eyes because he could feel them crawling out of his hair and onto his face. He was covered with bees, layer upon layer of them. They were clinging to each other now, because there was no part of his body clear of them. He felt their feet on his cheeks and really wanted to scream, but he couldn't, because if he did—they'd get into his mouth. And then he'd lose his sanity. But he couldn't breathe well enough through his nose. His chest was heaving and their weight was crushing him. He was gonna have to open his mouth. He was crying silently, trying not to move, or disturb them more then he could help. He heard Daniel's voice.

"Just say the word, Kendall."

Kendall could only shake his head slightly. He was still sobbing without a sound, now terrified to move, but he would not—repeat, would not—give in. You can do whatever you like to me, he thought furiously. In the dark beneath his bee-covered eyes, he tried to hold onto consciousness, but it was slipping away. He was fainting, falling. But he wouldn't give in.

_When I hit the ground and crush them, they'll go mad. They'll kill me._

But he never said the word to stop it.

He felt the darkness come as he began to fall.

**Cliffy! Mwahahahaha! Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	7. Chapter 7

Someone was calling him. _Get up_, Kendall thought. _Get up. Someone's calling you. It's probably James trying to wake you up—_

_**James.**_ Suddenly everything came flying back. James, and the kiss, and then finding out it wasn't James, it was Daniel, and the bees . . . Kendall sat up so suddenly he felt his head spinning. But as he examined his arms, he saw the bees hadn't left a mark on him. Daniel hadn't let it happen. Then he looked to see who was calling him.

Jo looked a mess. It wasn't just that her hair was a mess and there were tear tracks on her face. She just looked terrified and on the verge of collapse. After the James incident, Kendall was cautious, but this time he just had a feeling that this was his ex-girlfriend. "Are you ok?" she asked shakily. "I've been wandering around in here for ages but I couldn't find a way out, then I found you lying here." Her voice trembled as a tear slid down her cheek. "I thought you were dead."

Kendall pulled her into a hug, patting the back of her head gently. He shut his eyes in a grimace. He and Jo had agreed that they were better as friends and had broken up a year ago. While Kendall had mostly stayed single, Jo had started dating Camille four months later, after admitting she was bi. It had been hard enough when he thought he was telling James about Camille, how was he going to tell Jo?

He knew one thing for sure. He had to get it over with. Putting it off would make it worse. "Jo, I have to tell you something."

"Ok. What is it?"

"Alright. I'll explain why we're here first. The thing is, that guy Daniel, he started this because he wants to . . . have me, or something. I dunno. But he's giving me a chance to get away, so he made that board game. We all have to face the nightmares we drew on the cards. You're the last one left, and then the game is over. But, Camille . . . she . . ." Kendall took a deep breath to compose himself. "Camille didn't get through her nightmare. It . . . it killed her."

Jo stared at him with shock all over her face. "What?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Then suddenly Kendall was almost in tears again. "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault, you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me—"

Jo cut him off. "It's alright. It's not your fault." She wasn't crying, though she looked like she might start any second. "Kendall, how did she die?"

"Uh . . . it's not very pleasant."

"I don't care. I think I have a right to know."

"Ok. Um . . . her nightmare was a messy room, and none of us thought it was serious, but it was horrible. They were all these mutant bugs and the ceiling fell down, and all these piles of garbage falling everywhere . . . I tried to save her, Jo, I really tried . . ."

He was taken by surprise when Jo suddenly got to her feet. "Come on. Let's get going."

"Huh?"

"That son-of-a-bitch killed Camille. What better way to pay him back than to win this game?" The grim smile she had on her face faltered a little. "And it's not just revenge. He hurt Camille, and I'm not letting him hurt you too."

Kendall stood up too. "Likewise, I'm letting your nightmare beat you." He paused. "So, what was it?"

"Oh." Jo looked away. "It's kind of embarrassing—"

"Everyone thought their nightmares were embarrassing, Jo."

"Well . . . remember that time we all watched that zombie movie at Stephanie's place?"

"Yeah, I remember. So . . . zombies?"

Jo nodded. "Zombies."

"Alright. I guess we should find a door."

"So," Kendall as they walked down a long corridor that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "Any ideas on how to kill a zombie?"

"Shoot them in the head."

"Right. Got a gun on you?"

"Nope."

They turned the corner and ended up in what looked like the dance studio, but it was bigger, and all the lights had flickered out except for a tiny yellow lamp hanging from the ceiling. It gave the whole room a very eerie look. There were three doors on every one of the four walls. Jo turned around and said, "The corridor's just a solid wall now. Is that supposed to happen?"

"Yep." He looked around. "I guess we should try and find the right door."

They started their search. Kendall went to the doors on the left, Jo went to the right. Kendall got ready to face whatever undead creepy things that might be hiding behind his first door, then flung it open. Without crossing the threshold, he leaned in and looked around. It was just an empty closet. "Nothing in the first one," he called over to Jo, who answered with "Same here."

Kendall went to the next door and opened it. Nothing there either. He went to the third one. Nothing there either. He turned to Jo, the door handle still in his hand. "Anything on your end?"

"Nothing," Jo replied, still closely examining the closet on her end.

Kendall was about to ask her for more detail about her zombie nightmares when he felt a pair of hard hands close around his throat. For a second he was just frozen. Then he yelled, screamed and fought with whatever was trying to strangle. Jo had turned around and was staring in horror. Then, as if she was trained in this, she grabbed a guitar from the corner, dashed over and whacked Kendall's attacker over the head with it. Kendall felt the hands loosening and quickly pried them off. He spun around to see a writhing body on the floor. It was now minus its head, and blood gushed onto the floor as it crawled clumsily towards Kendall again.

Kendall heard moaning. It was Jo; she was pointing shakily at the doors she'd previously been examining. Zombies were stumbling out, their mouths hanging open. Some were covered in blood, some had no eyes, some were just faceless.

"Is it embarrassing now?" Kendall asked in a hoarse voice.

Jo shook her head. Zombies were coming out of every door now, except for one on the wall they hadn't looked at. They were surrounded. The smell of rotting flesh filled the air, almost making Kendall throw up. Or maybe that was just the fear.

He turned to Jo. She looked determined, the guitar held over her shoulder, ready for action. Kendall looked for something he could use as a weapon, but there was nothing except the instruments in the corner, and the zombies were blocking them. Kendall gave a long sigh. Then, with the speed that he often used to his advantage on the hockey rink, his leg flew up and kicked the nearest monster in the chest. It toppled over, knocking over a couple more in the process. Kendall would've laughed he wasn't still terrified out of his wits. But the rush of adrenaline felt good. He kicked another in the stomach, before punching it and knocking it over. There was no time to feel repulsed at how his fist practically sank into its rotting face.

Jo was knocking more of them aside with the guitar. "The door's over there!" Kendall called to her, pointing. She nodded in acknowledgement, before hitting a zombie in the chest. The problem was that, although it was easy enough to knock them over, they just kept getting back up. And there were more of them every second. Soon enough, Kendall and Jo were pressed up against the wall, knocking aside any that came near them, but otherwise they were just trying to come up with something to help them get away. For the first time since this whole thing had started, Kendall debated on calling Daniel for help. There was always the chance that he wouldn't come. And even if he did, how did Kendall know that Daniel wouldn't just take him and leave Jo to die?

But it might be the only chance they had.

They wouldn't last much longer.

* * *

James, Logan and GD had wandered back through the hall of mirrors to find Carlos and Stephanie standing in one spot, talking quickly. Stephanie looked upset and frightened, which was a spooky change, and Carlos seemed to be trying to calm her down.

"It's alright, Steph—"

"But he was right here! He said he wouldn't move! What if Daniel did something to him?"

"What's going on?" James asked, a bad feeling already building up in his gut.

Carlos turned to them, not really reacting much at their arrival. "I went to look for all of you, and after a while Stephanie came to look for me—"

"I told Kendall to stay here!" Stephanie wailed. "He was just sitting here, I didn't think he'd be able to walk. He said he wouldn't move, and now he's gone!"

Logan was frowning. "What did you say about him not being able to walk?" Logan asked, going straight into Concerned Doctor Mode.

Carlos sighed. "We found Camille, went through her nightmare. But . . ." Carlos gave another sigh. "She didn't make it through. She's dead."

Before this shocking announcement had a chance to sink in, Carlos was talking again. "Kendall was in really bad shape after it. He was just sitting here across from where Camille's door was, and he wouldn't leave. I don't think he could, really."

"Well, I'm sure he's ok," GD said, in an attempt to be positive. "Besides, there's only one way he could've gone. We should just go down there, and see if we can find him."

They did, dodging in between mirrors and around corners until they came to a door. "This door is like Camille's," Stephanie said, pushing the button without hesitation. "D'you think Kendall went in here?"

"Maybe," Carlos said, stepping inside. "C'mon. Jo might be here, even if Kendall isn't."

They stepped in, and James realised where they were. "Guys, we're at Rocque Records!"

Logan nodded, frowning. "Weird. There's only one hallway, though."

It was a long and dark hallway, though it was still the same as the one at their studio. They walked down it cautiously, when suddenly they came to a fork. "Left or right?" James asked them.

Then he heard a terrible scream. It echoed around in James's head, it was a scream of pure terror, and he recognised the voice. _Kendall._

Without waiting to consult the others, James bolted down the left passageway, sprinting along in the dark. He heard another scream, a higher one this time. "That sounded like Jo!" Carlos panted from somewhere behind James. James didn't care about Jo. Well, he did, but right now all he cared about was getting to Kendall. Then the passageway ended with a door. James was about to fling it open when Logan reached out and stopped him. "Logan, move out of the way!"

"James, stop and think for a second! If whatever's in there sees us, what do you think will happen to Kendall and Jo? It might decide to just quickly finish them off, or something. But if we go in quietly instead of charging like maniacs, we can sneak up and catch it by surprise."

James sighed. "Fine." He opened the door slowly, and stepped into the room. At first he didn't know what he was looking at. Then he saw Kendall and Jo, surrounded by at least twenty undead zombies. He just stared for a second in both horror and amazement. Then he saw that the zombies seemed to have overpowered the two teens, because there were several grabbing at Kendall with their long overgrown fingernails, and Jo was struggling to beat off the few that were attacking her with whatever judo moves she knew. She screamed as one of them tried to sink its yellow teeth into her arm, but somehow James didn't really hear her. He just saw Kendall being shoved onto the floor, screaming as five or six of them held him down and continued clawing at every part of him they could get their hands on. More of the zombies were crowding around.

James felt a surge of anger and charged, grabbing a discarded guitar off the floor. He whacked the first few with it so hard that their blood splattered all over him, but he ignored it. He got more and more determined as he got closer to Kendall. However, these rotting monsters seemed to be smarter than they looked, because a couple of the bigger ones had hauled Kendall to his feet and were now pulling him away. His desperate attempts to escape weren't doing much good.

The zombies were splitting into two groups at this point; half of them going to Jo, the other half to Kendall. They had vanished from James's view. He heard Kendall scream again, but he couldn't get to him.

Then he heard Jo shriek "Let go of me, you rotten zombie creep!"

There was a bright explosion, at least that's what James thought it was. Then he realised it was the zombie's heads that were exploding. Blood splashed on the floor, on the walls, on the seven teenagers, as the zombies all fell limp on the ground, unmoving. James stared at the unholy mess for another second, before remembering why he was even there. He hurried over to Kendall. "Are you alright?" Kendall looked at him with wide eyes. He nodded slowly. There were bloody scratches all over him, his shirt and jeans were torn in several places, and his hair was a mess. He'd never looked more wonderful to James. The brunette took a step forward so he was standing right in front of Kendall. "You know, I wouldn't go wandering off on my own, if I were you." Kendall a small smile, then it suddenly faltered as he practically fell into James's arms. James held him close, looking at Jo as she said, "I can't believe all I had to do was insult them."

"Jo, we have something to tell you."

"If it's about Camille, I already know. Kendall told me."

Kendall looked up from where his head was resting on James's shoulder. "I'm not totally helpless, you know."

James smiled. Then he heard Logan say, "Guys? Can we please finish this game now?"

"Right," Kendall said, and to James's disappointment, he stepped away and started walking towards the door. He opened it and they all walked in, to see a flight of stairs right in front of them. They started walking up, one behind the other. As they reached the top, there was another door. Kendall opened it up and they walked into a small room. There were shelves on every wall covered in strange items. As Kendall opened the door on the far wall, James recognised where they were. "Guys, tihs is the store where I bought the game." They just come out of the room behind the counter. The shop was exactly the same as James remembered it, except for two things. The first thing was a cell on one end.

"My old prison," Kendall said wryly as they walked into the middle of the store.

The second was that there were a large wolf and snake guarding the exit.

"Well, it's about time you two showed up," Stephanie said determinedly.

"Just a slight problem," Carlos said nervously.

James stepped towards Kendall, taking on a protective stance. "We've got through all the nightmares. He has to let us go."

"Not exactly," came the voice from behind them.

**The next chapter will most likely be the last one. Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Second last chapter! Enjoy!**

"Not exactly," came the voice from behind them. All seven of them spun around to see Daniel, looking charming, sinister and a little mad. Kendall was suddenly very frightened. But more alert too; seeing Daniel immediately cleared his brain of any cobwebs. Daniel smiled his strange, sweet smile. "Do you remember," he asked James. "When you came into my games store and saw the Tibetan game, Goats and Tigers?" He indicated the triangular chessboard.

Without waiting for an answer, he said, "Honestly, that's what we were playing the whole time. You're all the innocent little goats, _and I'm the tiger_."

James had stepped even closer to Kendall. Jo was standing in a forward stance, jaw set. Steph and GD had moved closer together. Logan and Carlos's faces were blank. "You didn't really think," Daniel said to Kendall, "that I would let you go, did you?"

Kendall felt dizzy. "You said," James managed to get out, his hand on Kendall's arm, "that you were playing the game fairly."

"I know. I _am _playing fairly. I told you that if you all got to the end of the game, you'd find the door open. It is open, but I won't let you get to it."

Kendall's eyes flickered to the animals guarding the door. What could they do to fight them? "By the way, you haven't even faced your nightmare yet, _Jamie._ But there'll be plenty of time. We've got something like eternity ahead of us, you know," Daniel added, his eyes hungrier than ever as he watched Kendall and James together there.

Kendall looked at James, but James was staring at Daniel with such hatred that it made Kendall afraid for him. "So this whole game has been a joke," he snarled, his hazel eyes burning. Daniel inclined his head slightly—it was almost a bow. As if James had congratulated him on a job well done.

But it was Kendall he spoke to. "I said I'd do whatever was necessary to get you. At first, I was sure your friends would lose the game—most people do. Then when I saw you had a chance of winning, I figured I could get you to turn to me for help. But you wouldn't. He's very strong, you know," he added, eyes flicking towards James. "Much too good for you."

"I know," James replied, to Kendall's amazement. "But he's a thousand times too good for _you_."

"I want him for goodness' sake," Daniel said. "I want him as light to my darkness. You see—Jamie. You'll have years to see how well he and I fit together." He turned back to Kendall. "Either way, you've gotten this far, so I'll tell you the truth. This whole games has been just—a game. The kind a cat plays with a mouse."

"Before eating it?" Jo said in a voice like a knife, her grief for Camille written all over her face.

Daniel barely glanced at her. "I'm only hungry for one thing at the moment, Josephine. But my friends at the door have very strange appetites. I wouldn't go near them if I were you. And let's not forget my ancestors, the other Shadow Men—those ancient, bone-sucking, lip-licking wraiths—they'd all like to get a tooth in you. This game keeps them out, but you won't get too far if you open a window." He smiled. "Rule one in this game. Don't mess with me. I'll beat you every time."

Daniel turned back to Kendall. Kendall met his ravenous eyes and felt something inside him change forever. He took a deep breath.

"Let the others go," he said slowly and clearly. "And I'll stay here. With you."

Daniel stared at him. Everyone stared at him. Then someone—it sounded like GD—started to laugh. Daniel smiled very slightly. Not an amused smile. "I see."

Kendall detached himself from James and took a step forward. "I'm serious. Let them go . . . and I'll stay . . . of my own free will. And you know what that means." He was thinking of the couch at Rocque Records, of the boy masquerading as his best friend who'd held him in his arms. The boy he'd _kissed_, of his own free will. He hoped Daniel was remembering too, and he seemed to be. He looked intrigued. "Willingly?" he said, as if testing the word.

"Willingly."

"No," James whispered in protest.

"Willingly," Kendall said again, only looking at Daniel, who looked charmed, but wary. "You'll have to make a promise, seal the bond. That way it can't be broken."

"Yes."

Kendall could see Daniel was startled. He'd expected him to play time, to argue. Couldn't he understand that he'd changed? Kendall raised his eyebrows. "The sooner the better," he said.

Daniel blinked, then said slowly, "Beautiful Josephine can leave, and Stephanie. So can Logan, Carlos and Alexander. But _Jamie_ stays. I'll keep him as a hostage for you good behaviour."

Kendall's mouth twitched, but didn't smile. "I don't think you'll need that . . ."

"All the same."

"Alright. It doesn't matter to me." He stepped closer. "Daniel, can't you see that I've changed? There's no denying that I care about James, but it's just not the same. He'd seem . . . tame after you. Anyone would seem tame after you." Daniel's eyes widened in fascination, as Kendall continued. "I probably would've come to you a lot sooner if you'd straight out asked me. Didn't that ever occur to you? That you could just show up at my front door, no games, no threats, and just _ask_ me?"

He looked slightly uncomfortable. "Not exactly . . ."

"You're too cynical. You know, I think the way you look at the world makes you blind. You've gotten so hardened that you think you have to fight the universe to get ehat you want. To sort of—wrestle it out of people."

"And . . . don't I?"

"Not always." Kendall met his gaze. "Sometimes there's a simpler solution. There are some things you can't force, Daniel. They have to be _given_, for free. That's what I want to give you."

Daniel looked astounded. "Then promise yourself to me," he said with a wave of his hand. He held out a golden circlet. Kendall took it, looking at it. It was a simple ring, with a design he couldn't make out on the outside. On the inside there was something written in fancy script. _All I refuse and thee I choose_, he read.

"Put this on your finger and you're sworn mine," Daniel said. "No way to break the promise, no way to change the bond. It's a short, simple ceremony. Do you want to go through with it?"

Kendall nodded slowly. Stephanie gasped. "Kendall—for God's sake." Kendall didn't even look at her. James made some sort of movement, but Kendall didn't look at him either.

"Kendall . . ." Logan whispered. "It's not worth it. I know you're promises; you keep them. You'll be _trapped._ Don't do it for us."

Kendall did look, then. "Logan . . . I'm sorry. I know you don't understand, and I can't explain it you. But please believe me; I'm staying because I _want_ to."

Logan's eyes were wide. "You're my best friend," he said. "I don't want to lose you."

"You're going to, anyway," Kendall replied. "This way is just easier for everyone. And I want to stay, I swear I do."

Logan had been staring at Kendall hard. Then suddenly, his face went blank. Walled off. Utterly without expression. "That's right," he said. "You have to look out for number one." He nodded grimly. "Go ahead, Kenny. Good luck."

Kendall could swear he saw tears in Logan's eyes, but he turned back to Daniel, who took the ring from him. "A short ceremony," he said. "Give me your hand."

Kendall gave him his hand, not even glancing away when Jo said, "Oh, don't."

"It's a seventeenth-century poesy ring, used to be given as tokens between lovers," Daniel said, holding up the ring. "With the inscription on the inside. It means you refuse the entire world except the one who gives it to you. The words touch your skin and bind you with their power."

Kendall just smiled at him. "Now, repeat after me," Daniel said. "But remember, the promise is irrevocable." Then, with a formal and dignified air, he said, as if quoting:

"The ring, the symbol of my oath,  
Will bind me to the words I speak:  
All I refuse and thee I choose."

Kendall repeated the words and felt the ring slide onto his finger. It shone with a rich, warm light, as if it had always been there.

"Now, if we seal the bargain with a kiss, it becomes completely final," Daniel said, as if he was giving Kendall one last chance to back out. Kendall just tilted his face up. It was a soft, slow kiss that Daniel ended up pulling away from.

"Sworn mine," he whispered, looking into Kendall's eyes. "Now and forever."

**One chapter to go! Please review! And please go vote on my poll if you haven't already!**


	9. Chapter 9

"Sworn mine," Daniel whispered. "Now and forever."

The silence only lasted a few seconds, and the violence came. But from an unexpected quarter.

"_No,"_ Carlos snarled, surging forward as if he were going to attack Daniel. Daniel didn't even look at him, but Carlos suddenly crashed into an invisible barrier and fell back into Jo.

Kendall turned to look at them. "I knew you wouldn't like this—" he began, but Carlos interrupted him. His eyes were flashing in a way that they ever saw. Carlos was never really angry.

"How could you?" He looked upset and furious, like he'd been personally betrayed. "How _could_ you?"

"Leave him alone!" GD said shortly. Kendall could see what GD thought—he thought Kendall was making the best of a very bad situation. He didn't blame him for it. "What do you want him to do?" GD asked, turning back to Carlos.

"Not go willingly," Carlos said, shaking his head in contempt. "Not give in, to _that_."

James was watching this whole scene with blank eyes. Kendall was really only looking at him when he said, "I'm sorry."

James's face twisted, and for a terrible moment Kendall thought the brunette was going to cry. Bu then he just shrugged. "I suppose it had to happen. That's the name of the game, isn't it?" he said, looking at Daniel. Daniel gave a small smile, and Kendall realised they were talking about something he didn't understand.

Kendall touched Daniel's sleeve. His face changed as he turned back to him, as if he'd forgotten everyone else in the room. "The ceremony's done," he said. "We're promised."

"I know." Kendall let out a deep breath. The ring made a little weight on his finger, but he felt very light and free. "Let the others go now, Daniel. I wish you'd let James go too, but if not, can you at least make him more comfortable? A game store doesn't exactly make good accommodation."

Daniel suddenly looked stricken, and doubtful. "Kendall, are you sure you want to stay here? It's going to be strange for you . . ."

"Understatement of the century." Kendall looked up at Daniel and spoke freely. "But yes. I want to stay. I never realised how much more there was to life than what I was getting. Now that I've seen it, I can't go back. I'm not the same person I was before."

Daniel smiled. "No. In less than twelve hours you've changed. You've become . . ."

"What?" Kendall raised his eyebrows.

"I'll tell you later. I'll enjoy telling you, taking a long time to do it." He turned to the others. "You can all go. Jamie too." There was a pause. "Out!" Daniel said with a snap of his fingers. For a second Kendall thought he was talking to James and the others, but then the wolf and snake left the room. Straight through the wall. The door stood open and unguarded. He could see midnight blue through the door.

"Go on," Daniel said, as if eager to be rid of them.

"Not without Kendall," Stephanie said stubbornly. GD looked surprised. He looked at Stephanie, opened his mouth. Then he shut it again. Carlos's mouth was curled angrily. Logan nodded firmly. James and Jo just stood.

Daniel's voice was impatient. "Well, go, stay, whatever you want. However, I should warn you. That door closes at six fifteen sharp. If you're still here, you're here for good. And I might not be in the mood for company."

Kendall quickly glanced at the clock on the wall—5:45 am—before turning back to Daniel. "This place is a little crowded," Daniel said.

"I know. There's a couch downstairs in Rocque Records. And in my old attic. We can go there and . . ." He finished with his hand resting on Daniel's arm. "Get acquainted."

James watched them leave, feeling his heart shatter into millions of tiny pieces. Then he was sure he felt Daniel stamping on them, making them even smaller. He couldn't believe this was happening. He was desperate to just wake up and find it had all been a horrible nightmare. That Kendall would be lying in the bed across the room, asleep, and that they'd never bought the game, that they'd just spent the rainy day watching TV instead.

But that wouldn't happen. This was a nightmare, but James wasn't asleep. Maybe Daniel hadn't actually said this was his nightmare, but it kinda went without saying at this point. He wasn't even relieved that he was no longer being used as a hostage; if anything, this was worse. He would've preferred to stay and at least see Kendall, see how he was doing. He didn't want to go back to Earth and spend the rest of his life thinking "I wonder what Kendall's doing right now. Is he still alive? Is he happy with Daniel right now? Does he miss us? Does he miss _me?_"

He noticed GD going towards the door, saw Stephanie look outraged and open her mouth to say something to him. Before she stopped, GD looked through the doorway and said, "That looks a little scary anyway. I'm better off staying put."

Stephanie smiled. Jo didn't even blink. She seemed to be in shock. Logan gave a long sigh. "I can't believe he would do that."

"Neither can I," Carlos said in a low, angry voice.

James just shook his head in bemusement. He desperately wanted to follow Kendall and Daniel, but Daniel's warning about not wanting company was sufficient. They all knew what he could do. "Logan," he said. "What did you mean when you said that Kendall had to look out for number one?"

Logan gave another sigh. "Well, you know that Kendall's always doing things for other people, never really thinking about himself. Number one with him. I meant to say that even now, he's looking out for us, sacrificing himself for us."

There was a long silence.

"I hate this," Jo murmured, drying her eyes.

* * *

As soon as Kendall and Daniel had left the room, Daniel had wound his arms around Kendall's waist, and he'd felt everything spinning. Then suddenly, they were in his dad's attic. Kendall staggered, feeling Daniel support him. "What just happened?"

"I transported us down here," Daniel replied simply. "We could've gone to Rocque Records, but the smell is pretty bad there."

"You couldn't've just made it disappear?"

Daniel's eyes became more focused. "I'm a little preoccupied with something else right now."

The sofa was lumpy and worn, but wide and very soft. It sank under their weight as they sat down. Kendall found it odd to be sitting next to Daniel like this, no animosity, no need to pull away, no battles to fight. Kendall looked up to find Daniel looking at him. So close. His eyes very deep, but very gentle.

He could feel Daniel's hunger.

And he could feel himself trembling slightly. His nerves jangling with excitement—and fear. But Daniel didn't even touch him at first. He just looked at him, with an expression Kendall had never seen on his face before. A look of wonder. The tenderness he'd seen when Daniel was impersonating James. "Are you afraid?" he asked.

"A little." He was trying not to show it. "So, you're the youngest Shadow Man?"

"And the nicest."

"I believe that," Kendall said earnestly.

Daniel did touch him then, fingers light in his hair. Kendall shut his eyes and told himself not to think, not to feel anything but the featherlike touch. The lighter it was, the more it moved him. He was surprised when it stopped. He opened his eyes. Daniel's expression was even more intense than before.

"No one will ever get you here," he said. Just stating it, no real purpose to it at all. "No one. I'll keep you safe . . ."

Kendall reached for him and lightly pressed their lips together. Daniel forgot about talking, then, and kissed back—such a soft kiss, his warm lips barely brushing against Kendall's. But then the kisses developed into slow shivery kisses and then into white-hot ones. Kendall was still afraid of him, even as he clung to him—was it true that fear had to be a part of passion? Everywhere Daniel touched, he felt fire and ice.

The light off the lamps glinted off Kendall's watch, and he saw it was six a.m. He pulled away reluctantly. "I have to breathe," he whispered. "This is all happening so fast."

Daniel smiled as Kendall walked around, getting his breath back, feeling his flushed cheeks cool down. "Why did you let me through my nightmare?" he asked suddenly. "Sentimental reasons?"

"Not at all," Daniel said with a laugh. "I did play the Game fairly. I don't lie, even if I sometimes . . . withhold information. Your nightmare was remembering what happened that day. You never noticed, but the door out actually appeared once you remembered opening the closet.

"Oh," Kendall said softly. "The closet." Then he added, "What did my dad want from you?"

"What everybody wants—power, knowledge, the easy way. A free ride."

"And the runes really work," Kendall said, shaking his head slightly in wonder. He went over to the closet, looking inside. Daniel followed, standing beside him.

"I'm sorry," Kendall said without looking at him. "I'm sorry he did it. He wasn't really a bad man." Then he turned. "I can't believe he kept you in here."

"Believe it," Daniel said grimly.

Kendall shook his head. "I guess I'll always love him. But what he did was wrong." He stepped into the closet. "It's not as small as it looks."

"It's small enough." Daniel stepped in too, looking around. "This place brings up bad memories."

"Let's see if we can make a better one." Kendall smiled up at him, backed against one wall. Daniel turned and smiled down at him. In the confined space they were very close. Kendall stood shyly, one leg crossed behind the other.

Daniel bent his head again, his mouth warm and demanding. Kendall gave himself up to it. The kiss became so breathless and urgent that Kendall couldn't break it, even though he had to. He kept thinking, _Just one more minute, one more minute . . ._

It was Daniel who pulled back. "It's rather uncomfortable in here."

"Do you think so?" He smiled up at him, breath slowing.

"Definitely."

"Well, then. I suppose we could—"

_Now!_ he thought.

In the middle of his sentence he moved. He'd been standing in a cross stance that Jo had taught him. Good for instant lateral movement. Now, in a split second, he used the power of his left leg to throw him to the right, vaulting out of the closet. In the same motion he slammed the door shut.

"_Nauthiz!_" he shouted, slashing the X in the air. When he shouted it, the rune flashed brightly on the closet door. Blue-white like ice. He didn't know if he was doing it right. He'd copied his dad's steps; shut the door, trace the rune, say the name. He'd pronounced it the same as his dad.

And Daniel didn't come leaping out after him.

The closet door stayed closed, and the silence was deafening.

Kendall turned and ran for the staircase. _He lied_, he thought as he raced down the steps and out the exit door. _He changed the rules and he lied. Sometimes you can't return good for evil; sometimes evil just has to be __**stopped**_**.** He knew all this, of course; it had been in his mind from the beginning, the moment he'd offered to stay with Daniel.

He kept repeating it to the whispering, plaintive voices that were telling him to go back as he leaped up the escalator, dodging in between mirrors and past where Camille's door had been. Through the door to Rocque Records, down the hallway into the zombie room, slipping in blood as he leaped onto the last staircase. He made a mental note to thank Mr X for all the dance lessons that had kept him fit. He burst into the room. The door was open, and there were six people standing around it.

Six. All of them. Logan, he'd expected—he knew Logan. Likewise for Stephanie. He'd been worried about James; he'd wanted him to understand, but wanted him to leave the most. He'd hoped Carlos would be angry enough to go, and Jo would be sensible enough. He'd assumed GD would be out like a shot.

"Go!" he panted, clutching his side. Maybe he wasn't so fit after all. "_Go!"_

James's face broke into a huge smile. "Go on!" he said to the others, taking Kendall by the hand. They hurried right over to the door. Then they all stopped. Jumping straight out into the dark took guts. They were trusting to fate—actually, to Daniel, which was a lot worse. They had to trust that when Daniel had said Kendall's friends could leave, he meant alive.

"Oh, what the heck," GD said with an eye roll. He took Stephanie's hand and they both jumped out, dropping down and disappearing into the dark. Jo turned to flash a smile at Kendall, then she turned and leaped out just like a skydiver. Carlos hesitated, and Kendall was amazed.

"Where is he?"

"In the closet! Go!"

His face was grim. "I thought you meant it . . ."

Logan made an impatient noise and shoved Carlos out the door before jumping himself. James turned to glance briefly at Kendall. They both smiled, before jumping out, still holding hands.

* * *

No matter how often you faint, you never really get used to it. Kendall woke up on the floor, facing the shiny wood he'd been sitting on. He sat up so suddenly his head span. The first thing he saw was the game. It was sitting there, looking so innocent with Katie's colouring pencils next to it. The only things missing were the cards with their nightmares drawn on them. They had those themselves.

Everyone else was sitting up slowly, looking around. Just sitting there. "Maybe it was just a dream," Logan said in a small voice.

"It wasn't a dream," Jo murmured. "Camille's gone."

Kendall looked at James. He was sitting up slowly, using the coffee table to help him. He looked battered and sore, his hair tossed all over the place. "Jamie," Kendall said, worried.

James gave him a small smile. "I thought you were really staying with him. To save me—and because you wanted to. I sort of realised that when he gave you the ring."

Kendall glanced at it. Any doubts about last night been real had vanished within the group. It was there, still glittering on his finger.

"I _definitely_ thought you were staying with him," Carlos said, suddenly back to his old self. "You had me convinced you honestly wanted to—and it was all a trick?"

"It was the truth. I was doing it of my own free will. And I did want to stay—long enough to make sure James and you guys got out."

"_I_ knew," Logan said.

"It's those brains of yours again," Kendall said, smiling at him.

"And I thought you were such a sweet thing," GD was musing. "So simple, so honest . . ."

Kendall resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I guess I am—when people treat me fairly. When they don't kill my friends. When they don't break their word. I figured he made up the rules of that game, and trickery was a legal move—so I did it."

Jo persisted. "And you never felt anything for him? It was all an act?"

"I fooled you, didn't I?" Kendall replied. He hoped Jo wouldn't notice he hadn't answered the question.

"Who cares?" GD said. "We're home. We did it." He looked around the room. "I could kiss every inch of that couch. I could kiss the floor. I could kiss _you_, Stephanie."

"Oh, if you have to," Stephanie said. They both leaned forward.

Logan was frowning. "What about the ring? The betrothal? You're supposed to be promised to him."

"What about it?" Kendall said quietly. "I'm going to throw the ring away. Along with the rest of this garbage."

He folded the game box up, putting it back in the box. Then he picked up the paper dolls they'd drawn, along with the game card, and jammed them in too. Then he added the dolls of the wolf and the snake. He stopped when he got to the last paper doll; the boy with the shocking blue eyes. He tossed it in and dropped the ring on top of it all. Then he crammed the lid on.

There was a roll of duct tape in with Katie's pencils. Kendall started winding tape round and round the box, sealing it shut. When he ran out of tape he sat back. A smile started somewhere and slowly travelled through the group. Not a partying smile, but one of relief and joy. They'd won. They'd survived—most of them.

"What are we going to say about Camille?" Jo asked.

"We'll tell them the truth," Logan said after a minute.

"They'll never believe us," Stephanie said, eyebrows raised.

"I know," Logan sighed. "We'll tell them anyway."

"It'll be ok," Kendall said. "After everything we've been through, it'll be alright, as long as we're still together."

James nodded in agreement. "I guess we'd better call the police now."

It was Jo who made the phone call from the cordless phone hanging in the kitchen, dumping the white box on the island as she dialled the number. GD and Stephanie were standing at the window together. Carlos and Logan had gone into one of the other rooms. James suddenly took Kendall by the hand and pulled him in behind the swirly slide. "I wanted to show you this," he said.

He pulled a paper card out of his pocket and handed it over. Kendall looked at the picture drawn in the middle, trying to make out what it was.

"I'm a crappy artist. I thought you'd be able to tell by the yellow hair and green eyes."

"_I'm_ your worst nightmare?" Kendall said, only half joking because he was totally bewildered.

"No. It was hard to draw, but it's what I meant when I told Daniel that it had to happen. The name of the game was to face your worst nightmare, and that was mine. Losing you."

Kendall could only look at him with wide eyes.

"I've never been good at showing it. And I was never brave enough to say it, but—I love you. As much as he does. More."

All Kendall could think of was little James the day they'd met in Kindergarten. James comforting him as he cried the first time his dad hit him. James on the first day of High School. James at Gustavo's audition. James. It had always been James. James holding him and kissing him at Rocque Records—what did it matter if it had really been Daniel? Kendall had thought it was James—and he'd known how he felt.

"I love you too," he whispered. "So much."

At first neither of them knew what to do. Then James's lips were on his, and Kendall was wrapping his arms around the taller boy's neck, pulling him closer, and James had his arms around Kendall, holding him so gently. A gentleness that Daniel would never have.

Everything happened in a split second. The door to the apartment burst open, and two guys dashed in, both in dark sweaters with the hoods pulled up. Jo was hampered by being on the phone. James was hampered by Kendall. Kendall was hampered by the slide. The other two were just plain frozen.

Then suddenly, the white box wasn't on the island anymore, and they'd run straight back out. Carlos and Logan had come running into the room when they heard the noise, and now they were both dashing out after the thieves.

After a few seconds, they came back. "They just disappeared," Logan panted. "They were _flying._"

"Neither of you are in the best shape right now," GD said. "Honestly, I don't think it would've been a good idea to give the game to the cops. It probably won't work for anyone else."

"But what just _happened?_" Jo said, looking bemused. "Who were they?"

"Why would they even _want_ to—"

Kendall tuned them out. He didn't know who those two were, but he certainly hoped GD was right, and the game wouldn't work for them. Even if it did, what were the chances of them making it all the way to his floor? And what were the chances of them opening an attic closet?

"Good riddance to it," James said. "Everything I need is right here." He held him arms out, smiling at Kendall. Kendall rested against him, ignoring the "aww"s of their friends. It didn't matter.

* * *

Outside in the Palmwoods parking lot, two guys in dark sweaters were panting. "I think we lost them," one said.

"They weren't even trying," said the other.

They'd seen James Diamond and Logan Mitchell walking through the lobby with that white box, and suddenly they'd been compelled to follow it. Fearing it and wanting it in equal measure. They'd watched the apartment all night, it wasn't until now that they'd had the nerve to break in.

Now they finally had it.

One of them pulled a knife out of his pocket and slit the tape.

**Well, there you go! Story done! There's gonna be a sequel, though I don't know when I'll start it. Pretty please review!**


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